Jak and Daxter: Legend of the lost White City
by Keysha
Summary: My first attempt at a fanfic based off a game (I couldn't help it, J&D is SO adictive) R&R if you have the time or are just feeling nice.
1. The Escape

AN: I guess I should have explained before I start, that this is my first time writing a fic based off a game, as most of the time I write about movies (usually animated, go figure). I was fortunate enough to get a hold of a PS2 and Jak and Daxter with my friend as I was at her place a few weeks ago while we had a public holiday here in NZ. I instantly fell in love with the game and its characters, but unfortunately, we never got around to finishing the game while we had the console. ( So take into mind that everything I know about the characters (I.e., Daxter still being an ottsel) is basically from information I've gathered off the Internet. But hopefully I won't go too far off track. Please inform me if you feel I've made a mistake somewhere, as it's always best to know. I should also point out that I usually add my own characters to my fanfic stories, so be prepared for some strange scenes at first. Anyway, enough with the boring note at the beginning. I hope this story suffices as good enough for the Jak and Daxter fans out there. I usually put art from my fanfics on my art gallery (under my user info) so check it out if you have time. Anyway, I'll shut my mouth here and let you start reading. ~ Keysha  
  
Jak and Daxter: The Legend of the Lost White City  
  
Chapter One: The Escape  
  
The small orange ottsel stretched out as he and his best friend sprawled on the sandy beach. The sun was gently warming his fur and as strange as this fairly new feeling was too him, it was pure bliss. Aside the sand getting into his fur, now THAT was annoying. Daxter had not ALWAYS been an ottsel. He had, at one time, belonged to the same species of elvish-like people like his friend Jak. However, due to certain acts of disobedience (Of course, originally Jak's idea) he was now an Ottsel. A cross between an otter and a weasel, and had it not been for his aviation goggles and gloves, you would have never been able to tell of his former appearance. That and the fact that he never stopped talking. Daxter never missed the chance to throw a wise crack or two at his friends. It seemed perfect that he was Jak's friend. Considering Jak barley ever uttered a word.  
  
Daxter yawned and turned onto his stomach so that he could sun his back. Beside him, he could hear Jak snoring away. If the guy didn't roll over soon, he would get sun burnt by the bright midday sun. Daxter just stretched out. Let Jak get sun burnt. HE was a bright shade of orange twenty four - seven! Daxter sighed and began daydreaming about what it was like being his old self. Sometimes he felt like he'd give ANYTHING to be his old self again. Being 'cute and furry' wasn't all it was cut out to be. True, the girls found it adorable, but that was about it. What was it Keira said to him? That she didn't date animals? That was the fact of the matter. She didn't date animals. NOBODY dated animals. Samos was always treating him like dirt and calling him fur ball, and pretty much everyone else just treated him as something worthless with the exception of Jak. Not that he was treated much better when he was in his normal half-elf state, but still, sometimes it just really got to him! Then again, there WERE benefits to having a fur coat. For one, thing, it was extra protection against sunburn. Daxter smiled as he noticed Jak's skin begin to redden. "Barbeque anyone?" Daxter said to thin air, grinning from ear to ear.  
  
***  
  
Xema ran for all she was worth. Behind her, she could hear the hurried trampling of a thousand feet as guards from her city began to look for her. "She couldn't have gone far!" She heard one cry. "Yeah, the only way she could hide from us in this area is if she was five times her normal size!" Another one cried with an annoyed voice. "The Master will not like it if she gets away again!" Another voice snapped. "So stop TALKING and start SEARCHING!"  
  
Xema ducked out of sight beneath a rough patch of jungle foliage. She held her breath as a huge foot stomped beside her. It was a species very similar to Jak and his friends, Elf-like with large bright eyes. However these Elf creatures had large sets of feathered wings growing just below their shoulder blades, as well as small clusters of feathers on their ankles. They were a strange evolution. Perhaps caused by the white light that glowed endlessly around their City. Xema was one of these creatures too. This was one of Xema's several attempts to escape the city in which she lived. Feeling that it was more of a prison than a home.  
  
"Nothing around here!" The guard above her bellowed. Boy he was loud! Xema covered her ears in an attempt to block out the guards overpowering voice. When she finally removed her hands, she could hear the guards stomping about in another direction. Xema crawled out of her hiding place, thankful to have not been caught.  
  
Xema couldn't believe it. She had FINALLY done it! After several years of trying to get away from her nagging father, bossy sister and that incredibly dull city, she had finally made a full escape.  
  
She dusted herself off and glanced around her. There was absolutely NO civilization for miles around, although VERY far south, she could detect the faint smell of salty sea air. Maybe that was where she should go. After all, she could go ANYWHERE she wanted to now. She smiled to herself. For the first time in her life, she would be able to gaze at the ocean.  
  
***  
  
Jak had spent a pretty restless day chasing Daxter around the village in a fit of rage. Not only had the little rat left him in the sun to burn, but also after that, he even had the nerve to tease him about his burnt complexion. However, as fast as Jak ran, he just couldn't keep up with Daxter. True, Daxter had always been faster than him, but he also used to be a real klutz, tripping up on almost every stone in his path. Jak used to have no trouble catching his friend, but now that he was an ottsel, things had changed, and Daxter no longer had such a clumsy nature.  
  
Or perhaps he had better balance running about on all fours.  
  
In any case, it didn't take long for the two to start talking to each other again (at least, DAXTER did the talking, Jak just listened). But that was the great thing about their friendship. They were so completely different from one another, that it actually brought them closer.  
  
It was early evening when Jak became restless, and decided to go on another one of his little explorations. Ever since their disastrous experience on Misty Island, Daxter had never again been fond of taking off to some unexplored territory. But no matter what the case, he always ended up being dragged along (That and the fact that he HATED being left behind).  
  
As the sky began to dim, and the shadows started to melt away into the darkness, Daxter became more and more worried as they headed off into the forbidden Jungle. WHY Jak enjoyed going there he would NEVER know. Feeling a chill run down his spine, Daxter shivered uncontrollably, and clung hold of a large tuff of Jak's thick, blond hair. Holding on for dear life. The boy just sighed. Daxter was never the same any more. He used to ENJOY exploring places like this, but NOW he didn't want to go anywhere except the safety of his basket in the corner unless there was an utter need of urgency. But then again, Daxter did enjoy going to Keira's place. Jak rolled his eyes at the thought. OF COURSE Daxter enjoyed going to see HER. His younger friend was still an adolescent. Still charged with hormones and loaded with every cheesy pickup line in the book. One day he would grow out of it. Then again, maybe he wouldn't.  
  
"Okay, so just tell me one thing. WHERE exactly ARE we?" Daxter practically yelled into Jak's ear. The blonde boy cringed at the sound of the Ottsel's voice ringing through his ears. After several attempts to unblock them, he just shrugged his shoulders. Daxter's jaw dropped down beyond all belief. "You mean to tell me that you have NO idea where we are! We're lost in a jungle full of poisonous snakes, twisting vines and rabid things that I just DON'T even want to MENTION!" The little Ottsel was going berserk now, pounding at the metal shield on Jak's shoulder with his paw until Jak finally had to stop him in case he hurt himself (which he usually did). After a lot of silent persuasion from Jak, and a lot of deep, heavy breathing from Daxter, the orange ottsel finally managed to calm himself down. It was decided between the two that it was too dark to venture further into the jungle (Daxter pointed this out VERY clearly) and too risky to head back due to limited light. Neither of them wanted to come face to face with a python in the dark jungle. So it decided upon staying in the spot they were and waiting until morning before heading back.  
  
"This is ANOTHER fine mess you've gotten us into!" Daxter mumbled, as Jak lay down on the Dewy grass to sleep. However, the little ottsel stayed very close to his friend, and curled up into a tight ball. Jak had to smile. Daxter wasn't happy with him, but he sure did appreciate his company.  
  
***  
  
As the two slept, a small shadow loomed in the jungle beside them, silently watching as too not wake the sleeping figures. Xema crept a little closer out of the bushes and studied the two curiously. One of them was a boy, much like her people. But WHERE were his wings? Perhaps he had hidden them from sight, but HOW had he managed to do THAT! As she crept up closer to examine the area around the boy's shoulder blades, she failed to notice the other figure stirring. "HEY!" Daxter cried, frightening the life out of the shadowy figure beside Jak. Both Daxter and Xema yelped in surprise, and tried to escape, but Xema tripped over Daxter's skinny little body and went crashing to the ground. Jak awoke with a start and caught the odd sight of his friend sprawled across the ground and a young girl with what appeared to be something growing out of her back. The strange girl looked up at him in shock, and quickly jumped over the squirming Daxter before leaping away into the trees.  
  
Jak scratched his head in confusion, while Daxter shook so hard it looked like a volcano was erupting around him. "WHAT was THAT?" He gasped. Jak had no idea. It had defiantly looked like a girl, but she appeared to have WINGS! That couldn't be right. People didn't grow wings. Jak's little friend stood up shakily and started to brush himself off. "Well, WHATEVER it was, it didn't seem friendly. I don't know about YOU, but I don't think I WANT to stay and see if it comes back. Besides, look!" Daxter pointed above the trees, to where a thin ray of sun was just peeking up to greet them. "Our navigation has arrived. Let's get moving!"  
  
Xema watched the two figures disappear towards the greatly increasing salty-air smell. 'They must be heading towards the ocean' she thought. Despite the dangerously close encounter she had just experienced with the wing-less boy and the ottsel, she decided to follow them. After all, they WERE heading towards the sea. Maybe they could lead her there.  
  
***  
  
An unimpressed Keira was awaiting the boy's arrival back at the village.  
  
"WHERE have you BEEN?" She cried when she first caught sight of the two sleepy figures enter the village. "I've been up ALL night I was so worried about you!"  
  
"Hey! No need to worry about me! I can take care of myself!" Daxter cried, grinning and pulling one of his ever-stupid poses. But Keira walked past him, not even realizing he was there. Instead, her attention was on Jak, who was looking very sheepish and sorry for himself. Daxter made a rude noise and shook his head. "It was all Jak's fault anyway! It was HIS idea to go wandering about like that!" Daxter tried to turn all the blame on his friend, but once Jak had shot the ottsel a look of poison, he became relatively silent, which as we all know, is a REAL challenge for Daxter. He left the two romancing people, grumbling to himself about how no one who didn't care about HIM wasn't worth his time.  
  
***  
  
Xema hid high up in the thick canopy of trees on the edge of the village. It was a quaint little place. Absolutely NOTHING like the huge, glistering towers of where she came from. But she liked it. After seeing nothing but towering buildings all her life, this place seemed much more relaxed and, well, cute. As Xema bluntly put it.  
  
A small rustle in the grass below her caught Xema's attention. A small, orange creature was stomping away from the village, muttering to itself. Xema crept weightlessly across the branch she was supported on like a cat would, fascinated by the little creature. She had no idea how it could talk, but it sure didn't sound happy. As she crept along the branch, her foot slipped slightly, causing a branch just below it to snap rather loudly. She cringed. Moss on the branch had caused her foot to give way, and the small creature had obviously not missed the rather suspicious cracking above his head. He spun around and looked up into the trees, a look of surprise and fear across his furry little face. "Who's there?" He squeaked. Xema hid back in the shadows, still not wanting to be seen. But the little creature was becoming insistent now, slowly regaining his nerves. He crept towards the trees.  
  
"Jak! If that's you, I'm gonna sock it to you right in your mouth!" Daxter clenched his furry little paws into tight fists, but he still shook. What if it wasn't Jak, and was something dangerous. Like a Lurker Dog?  
  
"Daxter? WHAT are you doing?" Keira asked. The ottsel spun around, only to find both Keira and Jak looking at him with rather confused expressions. NOW Daxter was worried. If Jak was THERE and it wasn't HIM that was sneaking up on him, then WHAT was it? He pointed up to the trees. "There's something UP there!" He insisted. Keira sighed, and Jak just rolled his eyes.  
  
"We KNOW Daxter, they're called leaves!" Keira teased, and Jak sniggered. But Daxter was just becoming annoyed now, and turning a bright shade of red which, lucky for him, wasn't very noticeable under his orange fur. "I'm being serious!" He growled, just as another snap and rustling of leaves endured above their heads, followed by a gasp. This time, they all heard it, and they all tilted their heads back to get a better glance.  
  
"Hey! Who ever that is up there, come down!" Keira insisted. There was another quick rustle, but nothing appeared. "Stop fooling around alright! We KNOW you're up there!" She tired again.  
  
"GREAT! You've found her!" A deep voice bellowed behind the trio. The three of them turned around to be greeted by a rather odd sight. There was a group of at least half a dozen men behind them, and as quickly as they had appeared, at least two dozen more appeared at their sides. They were all wearing heavily detailed, white clothing. All matching, as if it were their uniform. But what was most bizarre was the feathered wings that sprouted out of their backs.  
  
"You've found her!" A smaller man spoke up again, repeating the words of the first guard to speak. "Found WHO?" Daxter asked. Just then, one of the guards kicked off from the ground, and before their very eyes flapped up into the trees.  
  
"Our princess." Another guard explained. "This is the eighth time she's tried too escape, and she almost would have gotten away had you wing-less children not found her." Daxter glanced up at the rather hefty guard before him. "I don't blame her!" The ottsel teased, but backed down when he received a look of pure venom from the guard.  
  
Above them in the trees, there was a lot of objection coming from the guard and a very agitated female. The leaves rustled, and the guard emerged, towing a struggling female form clutched in his iron grip.  
  
The group gasped as the two landed in front of them. Jak instantly recognized the girl as the shadowy winged figure that had awoken both him and Daxter in the deep jungle. She was about his and Keira's age, maybe a year younger, with dusty ginger hair that hung about her waist, although several portions of it were in small braids. Her clothing was a mixture of vibrant pinks, purples and greens in a very regal style. She also wore a pair of un-even brown gloves on each hand, and a pair of purple goggles on her head, supported with a thin strap of brown leather (AN: If you're having trouble picturing this, imagine Taichi's goggles *The boy from Digimon*). Like all of the men, she too had long, white-feathered wings. The sight of her was quite stunning, and he felt wrong just staring upon a royal figure in his state.  
  
Daxter too, had been shocked by the girl's arrival, but his reaction was far different from Jak's. Sensing his younger friend's hormonal imbalance going off peak again, Jak slapped a hand over the Ottsel's mouth before it could belt out another one of his cheesy pick-up lines. Daxter glared at his friend, and tried to pull away his hand, but failed to succeed.  
  
"We must thank you." One of the guards stepped forward. "We wouldn't have been able to capture her if it had not been for you kids and your pet." By now Daxter was kicking up a fit, as he was NOT anyone's pet. He began thrashing around madly at Jak's strong hand still enabling his speech. He was not the only one objecting to the guard's comment. The girl too was now making a scene.  
  
"CAUGHT ME!" Xema cried. "You pathetic excuse for a guard! You had no right to even COME AFTER ME!" And with that, she spat and him, hitting him on the cheek. Both Jak and Keira gasped, wondering how such a brute man would react to her insult. Even Daxter had stopped thrashing around like he was on steroids, and watched the scene.  
  
The guard simply smiled, and wiped at his cheek. "Your highness is TOO kind." He smiled, and she growled, knowing that she had not upset him in the least. The guard turned to the trio behind him.  
  
"Come wing-less ones!" He insisted. You must meet our master. He will be most pleased to see his daughter back. He will be wishing to thank you for helping in her return home."  
  
The three looked at each other, wondering if they should consider this potion. But before they could answer, the guards were already taking to the sky and flying away, dragging the objecting girl along with them. One of them gently picked up Keira and took to the sky, and before Jak could object, one guard had also lifted him up to. Daxter had quickly sprung onto his friend's shoulder, and held on for dear life as they began to creep up into the clouds.  
  
"Where are we GOING?" Keira insisted. "To our city." The guard carrying her explained. "It's far to the North, to far for you wing-less creatures to venture."  
  
Jak and Daxter didn't know whether to be excited or afraid. Far north? Just HOW far north they had no idea. Daxter felt his stomach lunge, and he guessed it must have been the excitement. Then again, it could have been that bone marrow jelly he had eaten earlier. Daxter clutched his stomach as they sailed through the clouds towards some distant, unknown land. 


	2. The Return

AN: Hey there! Thanks for all the wonderful comments everyone left after the first chapter. I'm working hard to get this story finished and uploaded. I am, however, also surrounded by schoolwork and extra curricular activities up to my ears, so it is a real challenge! I also have the pressure of other fics, but I'm trying to equally balance them out. Anyways, here's the second chapter. A few of you pointed out that I had some grammar errors and my writing style needed work *sigh* yeah, I know. I'm not a very good author. But it's only a past time activity for me. Something I do when I go through one of my 'artist blocks'. Anyway, I hope this chapter suffices. R&R if you like it (or if you're just in a nice mood :D )  
  
Jak and Daxter: Legend of the Lost White City  
  
Chapter two: The Return  
  
Xema felt pretty uneasy as they reached the boarder line of the city. Ahead of her were sparkling towers stretching beyond the sky, twisting and twirling around the tall pillar like trees that grew around it. To the three strangers behind her, who had never seen the city before, it was an amazing, glorious place. But to her, she was dreading it. She knew what would happen when she was returned to her father's care. Yelling and complaints, yelling, scolding, and more yelling to follow. Xema cringed at the thought, and desperately wished she could find a way to escape.  
  
"It's beautiful!" Keira cooed, gazing at the tall palaces before them. Jak nodded his head in agreement. Daxter just mumbled something undecipherable. He had fallen asleep, bored from the trip, and was now curled up on Jak's shoulder. But at least he wasn't making a scene. Well, not YET anyway.  
  
The group gently floated down onto a floating marble platform, which hovered beside what must have been the tallest pillar. The guards carrying Jak and Keira lowered them to the floor, and the two stretched their stiff muscles. Meanwhile, one guard gently took Xema on each arm and started to lead her into the pillar. She regretfully allowed herself to be taken inside, and another guard insisted Keira and Jak follow them.  
  
The inside of the buildings was even more spectacular than the outside. Every single wall and object glittered like a precious jewel. Jak and Keira kept loosing the guards because they couldn't help but stop and admire their surroundings. Finally, one of the guards signaled to them to follow him onto a platform along with the two other guards who were leading the princess. By now, Daxter had finally woken up from his afternoon sleep, and was also gazing around in amazement. Then with a sudden judder, the platform shuddered and started to rise upwards. The jerking movement threw Daxter from Jak's shoulders and he landed at the feet of the guards and the princess.  
  
"Ow. That hurt!" The ottsel complained, getting to his feet. The three of him stared at him in shock. "Did that thing just TALK?" One guard asked. He bent down beside the ottsel and prodded Daxter in the ribs with his finger. Daxter immediately slapped at the guards hand. "Hey! Hands off the merchandise wing-boy!" Daxter snapped. Xema giggled slightly, but the guards seemed unimpressed by the strange creature's response. They growled, and lowered their sharp looking spears that they had been carrying around at Daxter's neck, and the orange fur ball gulped.  
  
"HEY! Leave him ALONE!" The girl they referred to as 'princess' commanded. As if they were her puppets, the guards immediately withdrew their spears and stood at attention beside her. For a moment, Daxter stood paused in his frozen position. Both scared that just a few seconds ago, he had almost had all the fur on his neck shaved off, and at the same time amazed that someone had actually stood up for him. Once his shock had worn away, however, Daxter quickly spun on his heels and returned to the safety of his friend's shoulder. He looked to his friends for comfort, but Keira just rolled her eyes, and Jak gave him a look as if to say: 'you deserved it'.  
  
Finally, the platform came to a stop, and the group was lead into a huge room, once again glistening like crystal. However, this one seemed more elegant than the other rooms. As if it was of some greater importance.  
  
"The throne room." One of the guards informed him. Then he nodded towards the two figures approaching them. A tall, well built man wearing elegant green robes, and a tall woman, wearing a delicately woven dress. Both of them had the same dusty ginger hair that the girl they had encountered on the edge of the village had. However, their style of dress was more elegant and sophisticated. As if they never left the building in which they stood. Both of them wore angry looks.  
  
"Oh! You're in for it NOW little sister!" The tall girl teased, grinning as if seeing her younger sister suffer was a great entertainment to her. "Shut your mouth!" The younger girl growled, but she went instantly silent as the man walked up to her and glared for all he was worth. "EIGHT TIMES!" He bellowed. "What is your PROBLEM Xema? Do you ENJOY leaving the city unprotected and alone?" He obviously didn't want an answer to this. But naturally, he got one. "Yes!" She grumbled, folding her arms across her chest and pouting slightly like a little child. "WHY are you so disobedient?" He grumbled. She tried to open her mouth with another comeback, but he cut her off by turning to Jak and his friends. "And WHO are you?" He asked. "These are the children who found your daughter your highness." One of the guards explained. So THAT was it! Jak finally put two and two together. This was a kingdom, and the tall man with the ginger hair before them was their king. The two girls must be his daughters, or princesses. By now, the older girl was circling them like a vulture on its prey.  
  
"Wing-less! How intriguing!" She said, examining Jak thoughtfully. He instantly pulled away from her gaze as best he could. Keira was more or less surprised that Daxter hadn't come out with some sleazy comeback for the older girl, but in a strange show of fear, he had held his tongue. Maybe he was creeped out by the girl who was still sauntering around them. Keira didn't blame him.  
  
Meanwhile, Xema, the younger child huffed. "Intriguing! You don't even KNOW what that word MEANS!" The girl received a dagger-like expression from her older sibling. "HOW DARE YOU! Father! Did you hear that! She's insulting me!"  
  
The king sighed, as if he had heard all this before. "Xema! Not only have you disobeyed me, and left the city without an escort, but again you have put your words into your mouth and talked before you considered the outcomes of your comment!"  
  
Keira smiled, and nudged Jak in the arm. "Kinda like Daxter huh?" Jak nodded and sniggered. "Hey!" The ottsel objected, folding his arms across his furry little chest. Not happy about the fun Keira was poking at him. Meanwhile, Xema continued to receive her scolding.  
  
"If I ever, EVER catch you trying to leave the city again. BELIVE me, someone's head is going to roll! And it defiantly WON'T be a pretty sight!" The king wagged his finger in front of his daughter's face, and she followed it with her eyes, as if she was planning to grab it and break it from sheer anger. "Go to your room! I'll deal with you later!" And with that, the girl turned and stomped out of the throne room, with her sister following suit, nagging at her sister all the way.  
  
"Now." The king turned to the group of three. "To deal with you lot." Daxter gulped. He didn't like the sound of this!  
  
***  
  
Keira sighed with contempt as she lay on the soft cushions that supported her. Keira, Jak and Daxter had been sent to a huge, open room containing every luxury they could imagine. The king had personally asked them to stay as long as they pleased, and had personally escorted them to this amazingly beautiful room. It was supposedly his way of saying 'thanks' for returning his daughter to his care. But more above that, he was extremely curious about these children, who seemed to have had a wing-growth deficiency of some kind. Jak was standing on the wooden balcony outside the room, which was intricately carved out of the large tree beside the room. The city spread for miles around them, glittering with the same majesty as it had first done when they arrived. Everywhere Jak looked the city's inhabitants were swooping left and right, flying in every direction imaginable, off doing whatever tasks they had set at hand. He gasped in amazement as one little boy flew close to his balcony, and preformed several mid-air loops before continuing on, and Jak almost wished HE had a pair of wings so as that he could join him.  
  
Daxter jumped up onto the balcony's ledge and gazed out at the sight as well, although he was less impressed than his friend. "Ugh! They're making me feel motion sick!" He complained, as someone dived sharply beside them. "And I'm not even MOVING!" Jak just rolled his eyes, and continued to watch the display.  
  
Meanwhile, Keira was still inside, talking happily to herself. "To think, all we simply did was point out that girl in the tree, and we get THIS in return!" Again she sighed with contempt. "Oh! And I suppose you ENJOY living off my suffering DO YOU?" A voice from the door huffed. Keira's eye's flew open, and she found herself coming face to face with the princess, standing in the doorway, leaning on the frame. She looked slightly mad, but more or less fascinated by the girl before her.  
  
"Sorry!" Keira apologized. "I didn't know you were there!" She stood up quickly, as if she was pretending she didn't like the comfort of the cushions anymore. "CLEARLY!" The girl said in a mocking tone. But she smiled and walked towards Keira. "Sorry I sneaked up on you and your friends earlier. I wasn't exactly sure WHAT you were." She indicated to Keira's lack of wings. "I've never seen anyone like you before. Why don't you have wings?" Keira smiled. At least this girl didn't creep her out like her sister did. "Why DO you have wings?" Keira asked back. The princess looked astounded, as if she never expected a question like this, or even considered it before. She shrugged. "I was just born that way." She said. Keira nodded. "Well, so was I." The green-haired girl held out her hand to the princess. "I'm Keira." The princess took her hand in hers, and they shook. "I'm Xema, but I guess you already learnt that when my father was having his fit at me back there." Keira laughed and nodded. "Yeah, I did. Don't worry about it. My father does the same thing, although he usually saves all his verbal abuse for the guys." Keira turned towards the balcony. "Hey! Jak! Daxter! Come in here!"  
  
Neither of the guys expected to see the princess when they entered the room, and were expecting her to have a go at them about getting her caught. But by the look on Keira's face, they could tell that everything was okay.  
  
"This is Jak." Keira told Xema, looping her arm through Jak's, and the boy blushed slightly. "He's mine." Keira pointed out, and Xema couldn't help but laugh. "And THIS little fur ball." Keira indicated to Daxter, who huffed and jumped off Jak's shoulder, so that he stood at Xema's feet. "I'm Daxter!" He informed her as he cut off Keira, he gave Xema one of his pearly grins. "And I'm NOT a fur ball! I'm all YOURS!" He said to Xema as he spread out his arms in an invitation for a hug. Xema laughed, and Daxter lowered his arms in rejection. Jak just shook his head in disgust and Keira sighed. "Just ignore him! He's always making an idiot of himself!" Keira tried to explain, but Xema just shook her head, still smiling. "No, I like him!" She insisted. "He's the only one around here that seems to have a sense of humor!"  
  
Daxter was kind of taken aback by her remark. Someone actually LIKED his comments. He turned to Keira and Jak, grinning like crazy. "See, at least SOMEONE appreciates my wit and humor!" He said. Keira and Jak just rolled their eyes.  
  
***  
  
Draco sighed as he deeply massaged his brow. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't contain his OWN daughter within the boundaries of the city. His restrictions WERE for a good cause. Who knew WHAT lay beyond the city's limits? Those strange children and their pet were a clear example. And even if THEY weren't dangerous, they were just a small percentage of everything else out there.  
  
"Father! Don't let that little pesky Xema get to you!" His eldest daughter sauntered up to him and started to massage his temples. "You know, you could always just LET her go! Then we wouldn't have to WORRY about chasing after her!" She laughed, in a somewhat cruel manner. "Besides, you'll always have ME!"  
  
Draco gently took his daughter's hands in his and removed them from his forehead.  
  
"Karma, you know as well as I do that Xema is a very important key in the prophecy." He sighed. "I can not allow her to leave this city. I know she yearns to leave, but her role in the future of our entire existence DEMANDS that she remain in the city grounds." He sat up, a quick decision coming to mind. "In fact, see if you can get a few more guards to follow her around. I don't want ANYMORE problems arising."  
  
Karma slumped down beside him. Clearly not impressed. So WHAT if her little sister was part of some big prophecy that had been declared years before she was even born! It was just some stupid myth right? After all, the whole myth didn't make sense! Xema was supposed to meet and fall in love with someone her own age. And the only kids even CLOSE to her age were those strange ones without wings! But even THEN the only boy in the group was a year or two older than her! The prophecy had to be wrong. Xema wasn't some 'winged angel of hope' or whatever the stupid old tablet said. She was just a bratty little kid who couldn't respect authority!  
  
***  
  
Jak and his friends had been lead from building to building, so as they could see the city. Every time they were taken to a new room, they discovered something even more exciting then the last one, and demanded more. Xema, who was acting as their guide, seemed very bored from the whole experience. She fluttered a few paces behind them, cradling Daxter in her arms. The little weasel seemed to have conned her into carrying him around, and Jak was becoming jealous. Not because a girl was carrying him, but because Daxter was literally FLYING while she held him, and Jak desperately wanted to try it.  
  
"What's THIS place?" Keira cooed, glancing out at a series of platforms suspended in mid air. Like blue eco platforms, they slid gracefully across the air from one building to the next. Xema sighed, seeing the platforms everyday; it was nothing new to her.  
  
"They're platforms we use for anyone who might have injured their wings." She explained, settling down on the floor beside them. "Because most of our building's entrances are in the air, we use them when we can't fly there. But I guess they'd also be quite handy for you two, seen as you can't fly."  
  
"Us TWO?" Keira asked in surprise. "What about HIM?" She pointed a finger at Daxter, who folded him arms across his furry little chest and huffed. He leaned back into Xema's shoulder. "I'm perfectly happy where I am!" He insisted. Keira rolled her eyes. "I bet he's a lot heavier then he looks!" Keira teased.  
  
"Well, It's not that difficult for me to carry him." Xema insisted. Daxter nodded his head in approval. "Yeah, I'm as light as a feather!" He rebutted, and Xema gave him a quick scratch behind the ear, making him almost purr with delight. Jak just shook his head. "Hey, why don't you two take the platforms up to the lookout tower." Xema pointed to what looked like the tallest building Jak had ever seen, twisting its way in and out of an ancient old tree.  
  
"How will you get up there?" Keira asked. Xema just smiled. "I've got wings don't I?" Xema asked, spreading out her angel-like wings. She looked down at Daxter, who had found a rather comfortable position to curl up into. "How would you like to go flying Daxter?" She asked. He looked up at her, carefully considering his options.  
  
"You won't drop me in mid air will you?" He asked cautiously. Xema laughed lightly and shook her head. "No, I promise I won't! Cross my heart!" Daxter sighed with relief. "Well, when you put it THAT way." He wrapped his arms around her neck for extra protection. "Ready for take off!" He cried, as Xema gracefully stepped off the platform and glided away in the breeze.  
  
Jak groaned as he and Keira stepped onto the platform. Keira placed a hand on his shoulder. "Don't let it get to you." She insisted. "He's just enjoying the fact that he's got someone at his immature level communicate with. Besides, He'll probably get airsick soon!" Keira pointed out to where Xema was, swooping in and out of trees as if they were goals she had to get through them at record pace. Jak smiled, as he thought of Daxter turning a shade of pale green in mid air. But still, Jak could not fight his urge to try out flying by himself. Maybe his time in this new city would teach him a thing or two about flight. Who knew, maybe he'd find a way to grow his own set of wings.  
  
Or maybe he could encourage Xema to try carrying HIM around in mid air. Who knew! The girl was full of surprises. Maybe she COULD carry him.  
  
Until then, Jak would have to make do with the platform, as it glided in a carefree manner towards the tall lookout tower. 


	3. The Discovery

AN: Ugh, quick little note here from me. This chapter's kind of long. Or at least, LONGER than the other two were. Thanks to those of you who left the wonderful reviews, especially to those of you that have left more than one, I guess that's proof that you're coming back for more. Eh, I'm honored. Someone requested I put up a picture of Xema on my art gallery. I've done a couple of rough ones, so they'll hopefully be up in the next day or so. It just depends how much time I have. Anyway, I'm off to work on my other two incomplete fics. Hope you enjoy the chapter, a lot of you seem to have strong theories as to what will happen, and all I can say is you're getting really close! Well, until the nest chapter folks!  
  
~Keysha  
  
Jak and Daxter: Legend of the Lost White City  
  
Chapter Three: The Discovery  
  
Draco watched his daughter with concern as she flew towards the city's lookout tower. What was she doing now? Searching out ANOTHER area of the city that she could escape from? Well, she wasn't getting anywhere this time. Every single gateway to the city was blocked, and there was no way she could escape this time.  
  
The king slowly withdrew into his chamber, to once again gaze at the old tablet. Its withered appearance could mislead anyone into believing that it was a useless stone trinket. But if one took the time to decipher the precursor language engraved on its surface, it's true purpose would be revealed. Draco ran his hand over its weathered surface. The tablet had been with the city for centuries, and it bared the prophecy that was soon to become a reality. Draco slowly read over the tablet for what must have been the thousandth time that day.  
  
*The time will come, when strangers will arrive to the Great, White City. Their presence signals the start of a new change in the city's future. Its citizens will no longer live in the slavery of the ancient curse, and the city will no longer be unknown to the rest of the world. When the youngest daughter of the king, who bears the ancient mark of our ancestors, falls in love with a youth her exact age, the curse set years ago will be broken, and the winged angel of hope will rescue all from extinction. From then on, the city will no longer be lost, but found. However, should the one bearing the mark stray from the city and remain away for longer than a day, then the city shall continue its curse until the end of times.*  
  
Draco sighed heavily as he gazed at the tablet's weathered face. It was because of this prophecy that he had to keep Xema inside the city's limits. Especially considering the arrival of these strange, wing-less children. It had to mark the beginning of the prophecy that they had been waiting for since the day of Xema's birth. Draco recalled the day he held his youngest daughter in his arms, and was shown the unmistakable mark she bared. The time had finally come, and the prophecy was about to begin. However, there was one question that still plagued Draco. If indeed these children were part of the prophecy, than that meant that she would soon learn to love someone her age.  
  
But WHERE was the boy her age?  
  
***  
  
The group of four gazed out in wonder from the lookout tower. They were high up into the clouds, and a thin white mist swirled around them as they admired the view. The city stretched out for miles, glistening in the mid- day sun as if it were coated in small droplets of shimmering water. The trees bordering the city sparkled dusty silver, and far below them, they could see the 'human traffic' created as people flew in every imaginable direction. Xema caught sight of Jak's drooping jaw and laughed slightly.  
  
"I guess you don't see much of this back where you're from?" She asked, and Jak just shook his head, still stunned into silence. Although his attention was now focused on the flying bodies below him, for again he was longing to go flying. Daxter, however, was less impressed than the other two. He gulped as he gazed down the side of the watchtower, and backed away from the edge, as the thought of falling did not please him one bit.  
  
"Daxter? Are you scared of heights?" Xema asked, rather concerned by his reaction. Daxter, not wanting to look like a wuss in front of a pretty girl, shook his head rather violently and folded his arms across his chest. "Me? NEVER! It's not the height! It's just the ground rushing up at me at an incredibly fast speed that I don't like!"  
  
Keira smiled. Daxter WAS afraid of heights, but she knew he didn't want to admit it. ESPECIALLY inform of Xema. The winged girl just grinned slightly. "Actually, it's quite exhilarating." Xema insisted, glancing over the side of the tower. Daxter was pale looked as if he was going to faint.  
  
"You can't be SERIOUS!" He cried. Edging closer to the drop, his face still losing colour. "That must be a two thousand feet drop!" He looked up at Xema, who nodded. "Yeah, about that." She picked up Daxter and took another step towards the edge, which sent Daxter into a screaming fit. Xema couldn't figure out what was bothering him.  
  
"Daxter, I'm NOT going to drop you!" She insisted, but Daxter continued to thrash about, pleading that she didn't step over the edge. Xema sighed, and looked at the other two, worried that she had done something wrong to upset Daxter so greatly. Jak shook his head and Keira put a hand on Xema's shoulder.  
  
"It's okay." Keira told her. "I'm sure he trusts you, he probably just doesn't trust the drop." Keira took the struggling furball from Xema, and headed to the platform along with Jak. "We'll take him down to the ground and meet you there." Keira called out to the girl.  
  
Xema watched from the tower as the three rode the platform down. Daxter had calmed down now, and Keira was in the process of yelling at him, while Jak stood beside her, giving Daxter a stern look. Xema sighed. She hadn't intentionally set out to upset Daxter. She liked the little creature, and only wanted to show him what it was like flying. Xema stood up and edged her way towards the vertical drop. Jumping off the edge, she began to plummet headfirst towards the ground. The closer she got to the bottom, the faster she sped up. As the ground sped up towards her, she spread her wings, and glided gracefully into a horizontal position.  
  
From their platform, Jak and his friends stared in amazement as they watched Xema's aerial display. Daxter rubbed his eyes in disbelief, while Jak continued to envy Xema's gift of flight. "See Daxter! We told you Xema knows what she's doing!" Keira said to the little Ottsel beside her. Daxter refused to say anything. He actually felt bad for acting like such an idiot in front of Xema, and didn't feel like replying to Keira's comment. He was trying to think of something to say to Xema the next time he say her.  
  
***  
  
Wrapped up in about six layers of blankets, Xema snuggled down in her bed for the night. But she could not sleep. She still felt bad for what she had done to Daxter that day, and the scene kept replaying over and over in her head. She continually tossed and turned for several minutes, until she gave up on sleep all together. Creeping out of bed, she made her way out of her room, and towards one of the many balconies that jutted out of the tower's sides. As she made her way past the room Jak and the others were staying in, she thought of going in and talking to them. But it was late; they were probably all asleep by now. Xema stepped lightly onto the balcony, and sat herself on the edge, so her feet dangled in the air. She sighed to herself, and gazed out at the night sky. Xema wondered what the sky looked like from the other ends of the earth. Would the stars be the same? Would the moon look different? Too bad she would never know, seen as she was restricted to this city, like a prison.  
  
"Xema?" A small voice whispered from behind her. She turned her head and noticed the faint outline of a small creature just behind her. "Daxter? Is that you?" She asked. The ottsel stepped into the pale moonlight. "Couldn't sleep?" She asked. He nodded. Daxter didn't seem his usually, hyperactive self. In fact, he looked quite disheartened. His ears had flopped like a sad little animal, and the look on his face was anything BUT a happy one. "Xema, I wanted to." His voice trailed off. He wasn't very good at apologies. They weren't something he did often. He tried to open his mouth again, but Xema placed a finger to his furry lips and 'shushed' him.  
  
"It's okay." She explained. "It was my fault for trying to force you into doing something you didn't want to." She smiled at the little furball, and as if it were a disease, her smile spread to him. Daxter grinned and shook his head. "It's okay baby, I forgive you!" Xema pulled a face, and gave him a gentle shove. "I'm NOT a baby!" She insisted. "I haven't been one for years!" Daxter laughed. "Yeah, about two years!" He shot back, and quick as a flash, Xema grabbed him and pulled him into a tight hug, which he gladly received.  
  
"You've got a lot of nerve! I bet I'm older than YOU are!" Xema laughed. Daxter shook his head. "Doubt it! How old are you anyway?" He looked at her quizzically. Xema went quiet, trying to decided whether she should tell him or not, then she pulled him in closer and whispered her tender years into his fuzzy ear. Daxter's jaw dropped. "You're KIDDING!" He gasped. "That's the same as ME!"  
  
Xema wasn't sure whether she could believe him. "Are you SURE?" She asked. "I mean that's pretty old for an animal. Especially a. a. Hey Daxter, what exactly ARE you?"  
  
Daxter bit his bottom lip, and looked around, as if he was hoping the answer would come out of thin air, which of course it didn't. "I.I.Don't know." He admitted rather sadly. Xema was a little shocked at this, but knew there was a way around it. "Well, I know someone who might." She stroked the fur on his back and he smiled at the pleasant experience.  
  
"You do?" He asked. Xema nodded "One of my old friends. She can identify any kind of animal species. I'm sure she'll have no problem figuring out what kind of creature you are." She continued to stroke Daxter's fur as he curled up into a ball on her lap. "That's good." He insisted, but in his mind, he wasn't so sure. He didn't know if he really was any kind of existing animal. He may just be some freak creation of the dark eco. At the present moment, Daxter didn't want Xema to know about his past. He WANTED to tell her, but at the same time, he also dreaded the thought. After all, she liked him because he was an orange ball of fur. Would she still feel the same if he told her she used to be a boy? Daxter dared not to think about it.  
  
***  
  
The next day, Daxter insisted to Jak and Keira that Xema only wanted to take him out that day. They were going to see one of her old friends, and since it was a long flight, Xema could only take Daxter because he was the only one she could carry. It was a lame excuse, but hey, whatever works right?  
  
Daxter met Xema on the balcony they had been on the night before. She was leaning against a weathered stone statue, a look of anger spread across her face. "Hey Xema babe! What's the problem?" He called upon arrival. She nodded her head to where two guards were sitting patiently, just staring at her like they had nothing better to do.  
  
"THEY'RE the problem!" She growled. "My father asked some guards to keep a constant watch on me. These guys have been following me all morning." She turned towards them and cupped her hands over her mouth so that she could project her voice. "HEY! Why don't you two get a life and go follow someone ELSE for a change! STALKING is a VERY serious crime!" The two guards laughed but shook their heads.  
  
"Not when the king COMMANDS that we follow you." One of them shot back. Xema huffed. "Well, I COMMAND you NOT to follow me!" Again they laughed, obviously not convinced. Xema stuck her tongue out at them, and turned back to Daxter, who seemed to be enjoying their conversation. "Come on. Let's go. I can loose them in the air." She picked up Daxter, and he nuzzled himself into a safe and comfortable position. Then they took off over the city, with the guards following close behind.  
  
*** "Can we go back around that last corner? I think I lost my stomach back there!" Daxter clutched at his sides as Xema swooped down and landed on a tree branch. True to her word, she had lost the guards. But it had involved a lot of tricky turns and aerial acts that had made Daxter feel rather queasy. She gently lowered him onto the solid branch, and he flopped down, happy to be on something solid and not suspended in mid- flight.  
  
"Are you okay Daxter?" Xema rubbed his back trying to coax the little creature to stand. He slowly got to his feet and nodded. "Yeah. Just trying to get the hang of my air-legs." He smiled and leant against her calve. "How much further to go?"  
  
Xema pointed to a small hut embedded in an old tree that slightly resembled an oak, except it's bark shimmered a dusty gold colour. The hut was partially cut into the tree itself, making full use of the hollow inside. There were empty wooden cages outside, freshly cleaned and ready for use. Beside them were stronger cages made of precursor metal, obviously for the more ferocious animals that the wooden cages could not contain.  
  
"That's where Chelly lives." Xema said. "She'll be able to tell us what you are."  
  
As soon as Daxter had fully recovered, Xema picked him up and cradled him in her arms as she gently glided down to the hut.  
  
"Chelly? You here?" Xema called as she stepped into the entrance. Daxter walked behind her, hiding behind her legs for protection. From the corner of the hut, a middle-aged girl looked up from a pile of papers scattered across a table. She was bone thin, and wore her dark brown hair up in a tight bun. She smiled when she caught sight of the girl in the doorway.  
  
"Xema! Long time no see!" She got up from her work and walked over to hug the younger girl. "Nice job escaping again! I heard they almost didn't catch you this time!" Xema blushed when she heard this. "Boy, word sure does get around fast huh?" Xema sighed. "How much did they bet this time?"  
  
"Well." Chelly began, placing a hand on her chin as she recalled. "Three of the boys bet quite a number of precursor orbs that you'd get caught. I know a few of the girls put a hefty sum on the fact that they'd find you more than 200 miles from the city. Someone actually bet that you'd get away this time! They're still trying to make up for their loss."  
  
From his safe haven behind Xema, Daxter couldn't believe what he was hearing. "They make BETS on whether you'd get away or not?" He cried, but quickly clamped his hand over his mouth as Chelly gasped, catching sight of him from behind Xema's legs.  
  
"WHO is THIS little cutie?" Chelly bent down so that she could get a closer look at Daxter. He wrapped his arms around one of Xema's legs in protection. Xema shook her head. "We were wondering if you could tell us WHAT this little cutie WAS?" Xema bent down and picked up Daxter, who had now become dead silent. Possibly because Xema had just called him a 'little cutie' and his heart seemed to be racing in a marathon after that statement. He barley noticed when Chelly took him from Xema's arms and studied his fur, glanced at his face, and even measured the length of his tail.  
  
"I think I have an idea." Chelly said to Xema, handing back Daxter, who was blushing deeply under his fur. Chelly smiled and pointed to Daxter's fur.  
  
"His fur seems almost perfect for swimming, but at the same time, seems to be developed for another task as well. What I think we have here is a rare creature that we sometimes refer to as a 'half-breed'. Two different kinds of animals that are breed into one." Chelly chucked Daxter under the chin, but he instantly pushed away her hand. He did NOT like to be treated like an animal. And if he would have ANYONE scratch him under the chin, he had ANOTHER person in mind rather than Chelly.  
  
"So, WHAT exactly is he?" Xema asked. Chelly smiled. "He's an ottsel: half otter, half weasel. They're not very common, so it's quite unusual to see one so far away from the sea. Your very lucky to have such a rare pet Xema!"  
  
Daxter began to make harsh choking sounds. "Pet?" He repeated. "PET! Look lady, I am NOT a pet!" Daxter huffed, pouting like a spoilt little child. Xema smiled and hugged him close.  
  
"Don't mind him Chelly. He gets insulted very easily." The dark-haired girl nodded in agreement. "He's got quite an attitude for such a little guy." She smiled and looked Daxter full in the face. "How can you talk anyway?" Daxter, once again looked around as if the answer was going to jump out in front of him. But in the end, he just frowned. "Hey, that's for ME to know, and NOBODY to find out!" And with that, he folded his arms and shut his mouth.  
  
Xema sighed. "Fine then, keep your secrets Daxter." She waved to Chelly. "I'll see you around." She said, before turning to leave. Daxter cringed when he heard Xema mention the word 'secrets'. Yes, he had a lot of them that he was hiding from her.  
  
The question was: how long could he hide them from her? 


	4. The Threat

AN: Hey there! Here's another chapter for ya'll! I've now put one of my stories on hold so that I could continue this one and another, so hopefully I'll be able to finish the chapters faster (but that's just a theory! I'm not sure if it will work or not.) But yeah, here's the next chapter. I have no idea how many there will be in total, it just depends how many pages it takes me to get it all down on. Hopefully it will be a good lengthy read. Once I'm done on it, I'll have more time to work on some shorter J&D fics *I REALLY wanna see some other authors here! I know there is a few J&D fics on Fanfic.net other than the ones in this section, but come on people. We NEED more!  
  
And also, as a special thanks to two people who are always reviewing my work and helping me out, this chapter is dedicated to Sandy87 and Vulpix.  
  
Jak and Daxter: Legend of the Lost White City  
  
Chapter Four: The Threat  
  
Karma watched with keen interest as her sister returned home. So she HADN'T made another escape. Pity really. She only had two guards following her, and she lost them pretty early. Needless to say, her father was NOT impressed when the guards reported this. However, Karma was curious as to WHY Xema had returned. What could have possibly been more important then leaving the city? It was ALL her sister ever talked about. She sauntered over to the open platform just as her sister landed. She looked tired, and Karma screwed up her nose when she caught sight of that orange furball cradled in Xema's arms, sleeping soundly. Xema was not impressed to see karma either.  
  
"WHAT do YOU want?" Xema growled. Karma just smiled wickedly.  
  
"I just wanted to know why my little sister returned home so EARLY! From the looks of it, you didn't even LEAVE the city this time! What gives?" Karma folded her arms and gave her sister a stern look as she waited for a response. Xema just glared.  
  
"I went to see Chelly. Have you got a PROBLEM with that sis?"  
  
Karma flashed her wicked smile again. "If you just went to see Chelly, then WHY did you try to loose the guards?"  
  
"Would you like it if you had a bunch of men following you around all day?" Xema shot back. Yet again, Karma gave her a wicked glance.  
  
"Why YES! I think it would be WONDERFUL!" Karma ran her hands through her long, ginger hair in a playful, flirtatious manner. Xema sighed and tried to get past her sister, but Karma stopped her with an outstretched arm. "You're really pretty for such a young girl." Her sister commented, running a hand through Xema's fringe. Her little sister pulled away from her rather rapidly.  
  
"Is my hearing playing up, or did you just give me a compliment?" Xema asked. Karma laughed, her voice sounding more like an evil screech of a bat than that of a princess. Xema shivered slightly, and pulled the still sleeping Daxter close to her. Karma's eyes widened when she caught sight of this.  
  
"You like that little furball do you?" Karma reached down to stroke Daxter, but Xema instantly pulled him away from her sister. "What? I won't hurt him!"  
  
"I don't want someone like you touching him!" Xema spat. "I don't trust you!"  
  
Karma was almost heartbroken to hear this. ALMOST. Truthfully, she didn't like Xema anymore than Xema liked her. But did that really mean she had to hate her to a point that she couldn't even trust her? Karma rolled her eyes.  
  
"If I didn't know any better, I'd almost say you had FEELINGS for the little fuzz ball!" Xema raised an eyebrow, and shook her head, almost in disgust.  
  
"Uh, hello. When was the last time you got your eyesight checked? He's an ottsel and I'm a human! There's a major species difference there!" Xema stroked Daxter's fur. "I just think he's cute, that's all. But besides that." Xema trailed off for a moment. "Look, he's just one of my friends who happens to be an animal. Nothing more!" Xema waited for a reply. Karma rolled her eyes in disgust.  
  
"Thank you for that DISGUSTING display Xema. That heartfelt moment was almost too much to bear! I swear I felt a TEAR come to my eye!" Karma played out a scene in which she was wiping a fake tear from her eye. Xema growled and shoved her sister out of the way, heading inside. "Don't worry!" He sister called out to her. "If you never find the perfect guy, I'm sure father won't mind sorting out an inter-species marriage. It would be kind of cute! Considering you're as lowly as the animals are anyway!"  
  
***  
  
Xema ran down the hallway as fast as she could. She felt like she was about to burst into tears. WHY did Karma always pick on her? She leaned against the marble wall, and slid down it until she was nestled on the floor. She glanced down at Daxter, who was obviously a deep sleeper, as he had slept through the whole ordeal. He was busy mumbling in his sleep. Something about dark eco pools. Perhaps he was having a nightmare. Xema brought him close to her face and nuzzled her cheek against his. Instantly he calmed down, and she smiled. The nightmare was now over, at least for him.  
  
She sat silently, looking Daxter up and down. Maybe Karma was right. Maybe she DID have feelings for him? But how could that work? After all, they were two completely different creatures. The only thing similar about them was their ability to talk. But how did that help, asides making communication a lot easier? Xema sighed as she studies the ottsel. Well, obviously, an otter and a weasel could have some kind of relation. But then again, they were STILL animals. Not human and animal.  
  
Xema shook her head rapidly. WHY was she even THINKING about this. 'You only like him as a FRIEND' she told herself. 'How could you even THINK that you liked him?' Xema pulled Daxter closer towards her, and cuddled him gently. How she wished to know why he could talk. Maybe it would answer the question that had plagued her mind from the very beginning.  
  
***  
  
"We're going soon." Keira had trouble releasing those words. Xema looked almost heartbroken when she received them.  
  
"You're all going ALREADY?" Xema asked. Keira nodded her head. True, she would have LOVED to stay longer, but they had already been away from home for over three days, and no one knew where they were. Her father was probably having a fit at that very moment. She dreaded to think of what he'd do to her and the boys when they arrived back home. Xema sighed.  
  
"I'd take you back. But I'm kind off, I guess you'd say, grounded." Xema replied with a nervous giggle. "Besides, I'm not allowed to leave the city, PERIOD!" Keira nodded her head in understanding.  
  
"Yeah, we heard about your little escape from the guards. Your father was running around having a fit. Although I suppose we got something good out of it." Keira nodded in the direction of Daxter, who was presently talking to Jak about something only males would discuss. Keira laughed. "At least we know what he is. Now we won't always have to refer to him as 'furball', although my father will probably still call him that."  
  
Xema nodded, although her gaze was distant. "I hope I'll see you three again soon." She whispered. Keira smiled, and wrapped her arms around Xema in a warm embrace.  
  
"I'm sure you will Xema." The green-haired girl coaxed.  
  
***  
  
Draco glanced out across the shimmering pond. As he wandered through the silver gardens, he came across the figure of his young daughter, bent over the water and gazing at her reflection as if she were hollow. Something was troubling her.  
  
"Xema? What's wrong?" He knelt down beside her and stroked her hair gently. She turned away, trying to hide her tears. "Do you miss your friends?" He asked. She shook her head, but straight after that, she nodded as well.  
  
"I'm so confused." She admitted sadly. Draco blinked rather heavily.  
  
"So am I. What are you so confused about?" Draco took her hand, which was icy cold, and rubbed his palms against it, trying to warm her icy touch. Xema brushed away a tear, and looked her father directly in the eyes.  
  
"How do you describe love?" She asked. "I mean, how do you know when you truly love someone?" Draco reeled back slightly. This was the last thing he expected her to ask him.  
  
"Xema." He sighed, and placed his hand on her shoulder. "We've got ALOT to talk about."  
  
***  
  
None of the trio was happy as they departed from the city, slowly gaining altitude until a thick blanket of cloud concealed their view of the glistening city. Two guards had been ordered to take the kids back to their village, and they all watched with heavy hearts as their home for the past few days disappeared. Jak noticed as they flew away; a thin misty blue shield over the city. It reminded him of a glass dome, as if it were there to keep everyone inside the city. It was the first time he had noticed it, considering it was almost invisible unless the sunlight caught its surface.  
  
Daxter sighed from his safe perch on Jak's shoulder. Out of all of them, he wanted to leave the city least. What he was going back to at the village was a step down to what he had back at the white city. The thought of Samos yelling at them wasn't terribly thrilling, and Daxter knew that some way or another, Samos would find an excuse to blame him for their mysterious disappearance.  
  
Of course, Daxter felt that he was leaving more than just the city behind. His farewell with Xema had been rather rapid and short. Perhaps it was because he did not want to appear like a 'softie' or anything like that in front of Keira and Jak if he had given her a teary farewell. In the end, all he gave her was a casual: 'see ya', before heading out of the door. He remembered cringing as he caught a glimpse of the hurt look on Xema's face, and he wanted to kick himself for what he had done. He may never see her again, and he hadn't even said a proper goodbye to her. He had wanted to hug her and cry on her shoulder; but because he was so concerned with his snide, confident and macho self-image; he had hurt her even more.  
  
But what really got to him was how he hadn't told her about his past. If anyone deserved to know, it was Xema. And now she would never know. He hadn't told her about his past or his feelings towards her. Could it be he was in love? Now he would never know.  
  
Jak stole a quick glance at his friend. He still had that same depressed look on his face that he carried when they had left the city. Jak didn't blame him. He was going to miss the city. He was also going to miss flying. Jak was trying his best to enjoy his last feeling of almost flying free, but his concern for Daxter was ruining the moment. Perhaps he was worried about what Samos would say when they arrived back at the village. Jak gulped at the thought. All of a sudden, the ride home didn't seem so appealing any more.  
  
***  
  
Xema sat on her bed in the afternoon sunlight, reflecting on every thing her father had told her. If what he said was true, then maybe she was in love. But with an ANIMAL? It just didn't make sense. When her father asked her if she thought had feelings for someone, she blushed and mumbled that she wasn't sure. She was too embarrassed to tell her father that it was Daxter.  
  
A sharp knock on her door caught her attention. She turned, expecting to see her father, but instead, the dreaded figure of her sister stepped into the room. Xema groaned.  
  
"I don't really FEEL like arguing with you Karma! Just go away okay?" Xema turned away, waiting for the sound of her sister leaving the room, but nothing happened. When she turned around, Karma was still there. Hands on hips and a most terrifying look of hatred on her face.  
  
"Father thinks you're IN LOVE with someone! Is that TRUE?" Karma waited for a response, but Xema remained silent, just staring at her feet. Karma growled. "It's TRUE? Answer me!"  
  
"I DON'T KNOW!" Xema yelled, grabbing at her hair and pulling hard, trying to take her mind off of the confusing matter, and onto something different. ANYTHING would have been a better mental image than the one she was experiencing now. Even pain. Karma stomped her foot in anger, and Xema shot her a look of poison. "What does it matter to YOU anyway?"  
  
"WHAT DOES IT MATTER?" Karma screeched. "I'll tell YOU what it matters! If you fall in love, Father's going to give YOU the crown after he dies instead of giving it to ME! I'm the FIRST BORN! It's my RIGHT! But NO, if you fall in love, you get the throne, you get power, you get the whole damn CITY!"  
  
Xema felt like she was going to explode.  
  
"That's the STUPIDEST thing I've ever heard Karma. What on EARTH gave you that idea?" Karma was now pacing across Xema's room, mumbling to herself. She glared at Xema and growled under her breath.  
  
"It's all because of that stupid prophecy! If you save the city, father believes that is a sign you are capable of rule! He'll break tradition and give the YOUNGEST the crown instead of the OLDEST!" Karma spat every word out, as if there was something bitter in her mouth.  
  
"What prophecy?" Xema raised an eyebrow. This was the first time she'd ever heard of any prophecy. Karma shot her a quick glance, and sauntered over to her as if she was a snake ready to strike. She grabbed Xema by the front of her top and pulled her in close.  
  
"There's an ancient prophecy that tells of the king's youngest daughter breaking the curse of this city!"  
  
"Curse? You mean the one that stops almost everyone leaving the city?" Xema expected Karma to correct her if she was wrong, but her sister silenced her and continued.  
  
"That mark you have is a sign that you are the daughter who will break the curse." Karma continued. Xema knew it had to be the mark on her left thigh. A strange birthmark made of circular and triangular shapes. It was defiantly out of the ordinary. Not many people knew she had it though, considering she barley ever showed much skin on her legs from the knee up. Karma continued on.  
  
"It states that if you fall in love with a boy the same age as you, the curse will be lifted. And father declared that once you do this, he will present you with the HONOUR (and this she hissed through clenched teeth) of becoming the city's next Queen."  
  
Xema shook her head in disbelief. But it didn't make sense. A BOY her age? But Daxter was an ottsel, not a boy. How exactly did that work?  
  
Suddenly, Xema gasped. It all made sense now. Daxter's ability to talk, his failure to know what kind of creature he was, him being the same age as her and even his wardrobe. He WAS a boy. Well, he wasn't anymore, but there must have been a time when he WAS one.  
  
Xema felt her heart race. She had been so blind to the obvious truth it was almost sickening. But also, she was incredibly saddened. To think, he never even TOLD her!  
  
Karma, oblivious to the thoughts racing through her sister's mind, bent down so she could meet Xema's eyes. The dusty-haired girl was staring into space as her mind soared with a mixture of feelings and emotions. A snap of Karma's fingers bought her back to the cold, harsh reality she was currently facing. Karma grabbed Xema painfully by the ear, and pulled her in close.  
  
"However." Karma said with a wicked tone in her voice. "If you're away from the city for more than a day, then the curse will remain forever. Father will have no choice but to give me my right to the throne." Her eyes narrowed as she gave Xema a stern look. The young princess' eyes were over-flown with tears as she listened.  
  
"Only you and a handful of others can leave the city Xema." Karma pointed to a small clump of feathers, similar to that of a miniature wing, sprouting out from Xema's right hand. "That is a sign of one who has the gift to leave the city. Have you noticed it's always the SAME guards that leave the city to search for you when you run away? Have you ever noticed that THEY too, have that wing image on their wrists? That's because they too have the sign of a gifted one." Karma's eyes were almost blood shot as she hissed her final words to Xema.  
  
"Run away sister. Leave the city. You know you hate it, and I will hate you less if you go. Just think: you'll never have to put up with being stuck here ever again!" Xema was backing away from Karma, towards her balcony. She was almost blind from the river of tears collecting in her eyes and flowing down her cheeks.  
  
"And what if I don't?" Xema questioned, although her voice was more of a whisper than anything else. Karma let loose one of the most terrifying laughs Xema had ever heard as she glared at her sibling.  
  
"If you don't, then I'll dispose you personally. Believe me Xema, I'd run away if I were you."  
  
Xema didn't have to listen to any more. She was already taking off from her balcony, and flying towards the city's concealed dome. Her skin tingled slightly as she penetrated through it, and then she was gone. Engulfed by the clouds.  
  
Karma grinned from ear to ear as she strolled back to her room. In twenty- four hours, everything would be hers. As she sauntered into her room, Karma picked up a twisted, heavily engraved wooden hourglass, filled with saphire blue sand. She turned it over and the sand began to travel from one glass dome to the next, counting down every second.  
  
"Tick tock." Karma chimed, before heading off to make sure that no one had seen Xema leave. This time, Xema was NOT going to come back, and she was going to MAKE SURE of it. 


	5. The Plot

Hey there all! I'm back with another chapter for your (entertainment?). Er, anyway. First off, a big thank you again for all the wonderful reviews. *Sniff* I feel so loved! Also, I need to thank Vulpix for their suggestion for this chapter. I decided I liked one of the plot suggestions, so I've added it in (Not all of it, but just a little bit involving Karma and a guard that I thought would work well). So I guess I'd better say that some of the credit for this chapter goes to Vulpix. Thankies for the help, not just to Vulpix, but also to everyone who's written such nice reviews! Well, until the next chapter.  
  
~Keysha  
  
Jak and Daxter: Legend of the Lost White City  
  
Chapter Five: The Plot  
  
"WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN?" The thunderous voice roared. "AND THIS TIME, I WANT THE TRUTH!" Jak felt like his ears were about to explode from the noise Samos was making as he scolded them. Then again, the word 'scolded' was defiantly an understatement of what they were going through. Daxter had cleverly taken cover behind Jak's back, clinging to the back of his shirt as he hid from the impact of Samos's enraged voice.  
  
"Daddy, you don't understand. We've already TOLD you where we've been." Keira tried to explain, but Samos's skin was already a deep red. Not from embarrassment, but from pure rage.  
  
"Oh yes Keira, how could I forget?" He said in a mocking tone. "You three have been spending time in the Great White City, where the people all have wings and live in the trees: WHICH, if my memory serves me correctly, DISSAPEARED OVER 2000 YEARS AGO!"  
  
"I guess your memory isn't serving you very well then." Came the muffled reply from behind Jak's back. Samos glared.  
  
"Daxter, I am THIS close to turning you into a heath rug!" Samos growled. There was a scared little whimper from behind Jak, and then there was silence.  
  
"Now I'll ask you again. WHERE were you?" Samos questioned the two kids again. Keira turned to Jak, and Jak turned to Keira. The look on their faces clearly showed that they had no idea WHAT to say. Samos just WOULDN'T believe them.  
  
"We had a REALLY long game of hide-and-go-seek in the Forbidden Jungle." Keira tried. Daxter climbed back onto Jak's shoulder and nodded.  
  
"Yeah, except we all forgot about the go-seek part." Daxter put in.  
  
"Uh huh!" Keira played along. We were there for DAYS until we realized!" She smiled, hoping her father would see the humorous side of things. He didn't.  
  
"Get out of my sight!" Samos spat, turning away from them with disgrace. The three sighed and gratefully left Samos's presence.  
  
***  
  
"Boy, I thought we were DEAD for a minute!" Daxter breathed a sigh of relief as the trio stepped out of Samos's hut. Keira narrowed her eyebrows at the little fuzz ball on Jak's shoulder and pointed at him.  
  
"Well, we weren't going to DIE, but you were VERY close to becoming a pair of furry slippers thanks to your BIG MOUTH!" Keira teased.  
  
Daxter groaned. The mocking had started already. He missed Xema; she was one of his only friends who DIDN'T tease him day in and day out.  
  
"I guess my father will never believe us unless we had proof that the city exists." Keira told the boys. Jak nodded his head in agreement. What they needed was a local, who could fly in front of Samos and prove him that he was wrong. After all, the wings could not lie.  
  
Daxter was thinking more or less the same thing. Although he just wanted to use it as an excuse to see Xema again.  
  
***  
  
Xema didn't know where she was going. All she wanted to do was get as far away from her sister as possible. She just flew south, not keeping track of any of her surroundings. For all she knew, she could end up at the other end of the world. But she didn't care. Before, flying away from the city was an attempt to escape the city itself. Now, it was an attempt to escape her very own family.  
  
The tired Princess landed heavily on an inviting rock. She lay down and bathed her aching limbs in the sun. How long had she been flying now? She had completely lost track of time. Probably at least four or five hours and now she felt like lying in the sun forever. A small crash made her glance up. It was a wave. She had made it to the sea. Xema sighed with content as she watched the waves beat at the sand. It was her first time anywhere near such a large body of water. It looked cool and inviting, calling to Xema to rest her sore limbs.  
  
Xema slid off of the rock and removed her sandals, before making her way towards the water, giggling helplessly at the feel of the sand between her toes. It all would have been perfect, had her joy not been broken by a detectable rumble under her feet as the sand began to shift and part. Xema sprang in the air just as a huge dragon-like creature emerged from the sand and tried to bite her in two. The girl sighed with relief as she hovered high in the air, while the angry sand-dragon snapped at her heels.  
  
"There's just NO comfort anywhere. IS THERE?" Xema yelled out loud. The only reply she got was her voice echoing off of the rocky cliffs bordering the beach. She groaned and began to head down the beach, hovering high above the sand incase there were any more of those dragons or other vicious creatures waiting to attack her.  
  
***  
  
"What do you mean she's GONE?" Draco felt like he was about to have a heart attack. Which wasn't to unexpected, considering his age, but how was he supposed to stay calm when Xema was gone.  
  
"How long has she been missing?" Draco growled. The guards below him shook with fear.  
  
"We don't know sir. About five hours." They cringed as Draco's face reddened until it looked like a lump of red eco. The king climbed to his feet and shot an angry glance around the room. Every body in the room tensed as they waited for him to explode, but he seemed to calm himself. He shook his head, and glanced up at the sky.  
  
"Five hours would have given her plenty of time to escape. But she must have gone somewhere. Xema may be foolish running away, but she's not stupid. She would have planned her journey." Draco turned to a familiar guard who he always sent after Xema when she escaped. "You there! Where did you find my daughter the last time she ran away?" The guard ran up to Draco and bowed low.  
  
"Your highness. We found her just outside a village, near the sea."  
  
Draco nodded. "Was it the village those two children and their pet came from?" The guard nodded, and Draco snapped his fingers. Immediately, the party of guards that had returned with Xema last time steeped forward and bowed. Draco signaled them to follow him, and he led the group to one of the main balconies.  
  
"We must act quickly. Xema has had a longer head start than usual. You must return to the village you found her last time and look for her. If she is not there, one of you shall return here. The rest of you keep looking. Remember, we're on a limit here. If she's gone from the city for longer than 24 hours." Draco didn't finish his sentence. He didn't need to. Everyone understood the importance of returning with Xema.  
  
***  
  
Karma hid from sight as the guards took off, heading in a southerly direction. So, they HAD discovered her missing. Karma rubbed her temples in frustration. If they managed to find Xema, the little brat might tell their father about her threats. Of course Draco would believe her. After all, Xema WAS his 'favorite'. Karma mumbled to herself for a few moments, before retreating to her room. If the guards came back with Xema, she would NEVER claim the throne. She needed to FULLY get rid of her sister while she was outside the city. That way, she knew there would NEVER be a chance of Xema returning. Karma sighed. She didn't hate her sister to a point where she had to kill her. In truth, she knew Xema didn't even WANT the crown. But desperate times called for desperate measures, even if it required taking the life of her very own sister.  
  
Karma was willing to do ANYTHING to get what she wanted.  
  
***  
  
Daxter wasn't in the mood for talking to Keira or Jak. Neither of them had anything interesting to talk about. Not that Jak ever had ANYTHING to talk about, but still, the two refused to stop teasing him. He made his way away from Samo's hut, mumbling under his breath, following the path away from the village. He had no idea anyone was following him, until a dark shadow loomed over him, and something creeped up and touched him on the shoulder.  
  
His scream was deafening. Daxter spun around to remove the object from his shoulder, which turned out to be a hand.  
  
"Daxter. STOP YELLING!" Xema cried, slapping a hand over his mouth. The ottsel stared up at the figure above him, and his eyes widened as he realized who it was. As soon as she was convinced he wouldn't yell any more, Xema removed her hand.  
  
"Xema? WHAT are you DOING here?" Daxter gasped. But he laughed happily as she picked him up and hugged him for all she was worth. "Did ya miss me? That's why you came back huh?" Daxter grinned, hoping that was the answer. Xema blushed. That wasn't the REAL reason she was there. But she didn't want Daxter to feel disappointed. So she just smiled and nodded.  
  
"I KNEW it! You missed me didn't you baby?' The furball cried, wrapping his arms around her neck and attempting to give her a seductive look, but he looked more like an ottsel with an eye problem. Xema laughed helplessly and put him back on the ground.  
  
"I've got to tell the other's you're here!" Daxter cried in an excited voice, as if her arrival was the most anticipated thing the world had been waiting for. "Samos is going to wish he BELIVED us when we told him you and the city were real! Who knows, he might actually feel sick and turn greener than he already is!" Daxter clapped his paws together in excitement, but when he looked up at Xema, she was shaking her head, a look of worry spread across her face.  
  
"No Daxter. You CAN'T let anyone know I'm here! If they find me." Her voice trailed off, and Daxter noticed that she was glancing around her, as if any minute someone might jump out of the bushes and grab her.  
  
"Ah, you're playing 'fugitive?'" Daxter asked, giving her a wink. She smiled slightly and nodded, although she was still shivering slightly. Daxter quickly climbed up onto her shoulder and pressed his fur against her while wrapping his arms around her neck, trying to keep her warm. "Well, you can count on me." He assured her. "I won't tell a soul that you're here." And then he jumped off her shoulder and headed away.  
  
"Where are you going?" Xema called out to him. He looked over his shoulder and grinned.  
  
"To tell Jak of course!" He answered. Xema was at a loss for words.  
  
"WHAT? I thought you just promised me you WOULDN'T tell ANYONE?" Xema asked rather cross. Daxter shook his head.  
  
"I did. But I have to tell SOMEONE! Believe me Xema, when I've got news, I have to let SOMEONE know." And with that, he started to head off again. Xema sighed and sat herself down on the grass to await his return. For someone so small, he sure had a big mouth. Xema smiled. She liked that in her boys.  
  
***  
  
Keira and Jak had both thought they'd finally got rid of Daxter for the day. They were both relaxing in Keira's workshop, Keira resting her head on Jak's shoulder while her boyfriend's cheeks tinted pink from blush. Everything was peaceful, until they caught sight of a small orange ottsel rushing through the door. Keira groaned loudly and threw her arms up in the air in exasperation.  
  
"Daxter, DO YOU MIND!" She cried. The ottsel looked up at her and cocked an eyebrow.  
  
"Not at all." He grinned. "You two will never guess who's here!"  
  
Jak stared blankly at Daxter and shrugged his shoulders. Keira folded her arms across her chest and smirked. "You mean the men in white coats have finally come to take you away?" She teased. But Daxter was too excited to notice her comment. He was bouncing up and down on the floor in a hyperactive state.  
  
"Xema's back!" He cried. The response he got from the two was not what he expected. Jak's was a look of disbelief. Keira just shook her head and sighed.  
  
"PUH-LEEZE Daxter! Your attempts for attention are NOT going to work on us!" Keira groaned, turning to Jak. "Maybe we should just call the men in white coats and tell them we've got a psychotic, attention seeking ottsel that needs urgent attention." Jak grinned and nodded his head in approval. Daxter's jaw dropped as he realized the outcome. He turned and headed out the door, mumbling to himself. Keira returned to Jak, and returned a high- five he was offering her. NOW maybe they could enjoy their afternoon in peace.  
  
***  
  
"Are you SURE you know what to do?" Karma asked sternly, circling the young man before her. He was a young guard, new to the force. Karma liked to call him: Fresh meat. He was still learning about his duties as a guard, but because he was so young, Karma knew he could be easily corrupt. On his right hand, he bared the sign of one gifted to leave the city. Karma eyed his feathered mark hungrily, as if she desired to have one herself.  
  
The young guard stood stiff and at attention. He nodded his head slightly as Karma circled him like a vulture circling a decaying carcass.  
  
"Find Xema." He repeated like a robot. "Kill her on sight."  
  
"Oh. 'Kill' is such as NASTY word." Karma giggled evilly. "Why don't we just say: 'Dispose of.'" The guard nodded in understanding.  
  
However, Karma was not fully finished with him. In one swift movement, she had pulled a long, sliver dagger from under her robes and pressed it hard against the guard's throat.  
  
"I'm WARNING you junior! Betray me, and it will be YOUR head I send rolling! Xema's body won't be the only one lying cold and dead on the ground." From the pathetic whimper escaping the boy, Karma was convinced he UNDERSTOOD her all to well.  
  
Karma removed the dagger and clapped her hands together in anticipation. "Good! Now, find my sister and 'DISPOSE of her!" Karma commanded. Without missing a beat, the guard leapt out onto the gentle wind currents until her was high in the air. Karma watched until he had passed through the shield of the city, then spun on her heels. Ready to spend a good half an hour watching her father fret as her awaited the return of his youngest daughter.  
  
'How sad.' Thought Karma 'that Xema won't be coming back. EVER!'  
  
***  
  
Xema sat deep in thought as she hid on the outskirts of the village, awaiting Daxter's return. When she had first noticed him wandering along the beach, she had thought of nothing except how glad she was to see him. But now, while he had left her, she began to recall her conversation with Karma, and how she had realized Daxter's 'secret'. Xema felt hurt and betrayed, not to mention foolish. All this time, and Daxter had kept such an important issue hidden from her. Was he scared? Scared she wouldn't like him if she knew the truth? Xema shook her head. She liked Daxter for who he was, not WHAT he was.  
  
"Well, Jak's not coming out! He didn't believe me when I told him you were here. I don't get it! WHY doesn't he trust ME?" Daxter stood in front of the winged girl, grinning. He had returned from his argument with Jak and Keira, and although he had lost, he was still in a good mood. "Oh well, I guess that means you get to spend the rest of the day with just ME!" Daxter emphasized this as if Xema had just won a thousand Precursor Orbs. But Xema kept her head bent low, focusing on her feet and nothing else. Daxter's smile faded, and became a look of concern.  
  
"Baby? What's wrong?"  
  
Xema didn't really want to talk to Daxter now. Every time she thought about how he had hidden his past from her, she became more and more hurt deep inside. She turned her face away to avoid looking at him.  
  
"Why didn't you tell me?" She asked, not daring to look at him. Daxter was taken aback. He padded up to her and placed a paw on her shoulder.  
  
"Tell you what?" He asked, trying to look her in the eyes, but she kept her head turned away, refusing to let him see her.  
  
"About your past. Everything that happened to you before you came to my city."  
  
"Xema, I didn't think that was worth talking about."  
  
"WHAT!" Xema spun her head around, and Daxter was shocked to find there were tears in her eyes.  
  
"Daxter, you weren't always an ottsel, were you?" Xema looked him dead in the eyes, although this was slightly difficult, seen, as her eyes were very blurry from all of her tears. Daxter's heart raced. Somehow, Xema had worked out the ONE thing he was too scared to tell her. And because of that, she now hated him. He bowed his head low, feeling incredibly ashamed and stupid.  
  
"No." He admitted in a barley decipherable whisper. Xema made a small, quick sound that reminded Daxter of someone chocking. He didn't blame her; she was probably going to be sick.  
  
"All this time, you never even TOLD me?" Xema chocked on her words while her tears flowed down her face. Daxter wanted to wipe them away, but he was too scared to touch her. He didn't want to damage the wound he had already made incredibly deep.  
  
"Daxter, I don't know WHY you wouldn't tell me." Xema sighed tearfully, wiping at her wet cheeks with her arm. Daxter looked up at her with regretful eyes.  
  
"I was scared." He admitted. Never before had he felt or acted so serious. Before this moment, life had been one big joke to him. True, he had experienced pain before, especially when he had lost his identity and become an ottsel. But even then, that pain was nothing to what he was feeling now. It was like his heart had been broken in two, and only Xema had the ability to heal it. Although he was sure she never would.  
  
"Xema, I was scared you wouldn't like me for who I really was." Daxter tried to consider every word he said. No joking around this time. If he put one word out of place, he could mess up everything, and his friendship with Xema would be over in a matter of seconds. "Xema, I never wanted to hurt you. But I thought you would never like the real me. You just seemed to like me because I was all furry and cuddly. I was just scared that if you knew I was really a boy, you wouldn't like me anymore."  
  
There was a long pause as Xema took in what Daxter had said. His heart raced as she shook her head and looked him in the eyes, her tears slowly drying.  
  
"Daxter, you could be a Lurker for all I care. I like you for who you are, not WHAT you are." She sighed and flopped down onto the sand. Daxter stood beside her still, waiting to hear if she had anything else to say. His heart was racing like crazy as he realized that for the first time, someone actually liked his personality. Xema actually like HIM for who he was! Xema gave a small, breathy laugh.  
  
"You know, before I first met you Daxter, I barely EVER laughed." Daxter looked up at her with an expression of utter astonishment.  
  
"Really?" He asked, she glanced at him, smiled and nodded.  
  
"Yeah, life's not very humorous when your father is serious full time and your sister thinks she's the almighty Queen of evil." Daxter smiled.  
  
"More like the Queen of creepiness." He suggested, and Xema laughed. Daxter grinned. He felt good when he made Xema smile. "I'm glad you came back." He told her, blushing under his fur.  
  
"Yeah, me too." Xema picked up the orange furball, and pulled him in close so that their faces were almost touching.  
  
"Am, am I forgiven?" Daxter stuttered slightly. Xema smiled and nodded.  
  
"Yeah, you're forgiven." Xema smiled, and Daxter felt his heart leap with joy. That moment could have not been any more perfect for Daxter. But before he could even begin to enjoy her company, Xema bent her head slightly and kissed him on the cheek.  
  
Daxter would have been a deep red had it not been for his fur. He gently touched his cheek with the tips of his fingers, as if it were a delicate wound. He was stunned into full silence, something that no one had EVER been able to do to Daxter. He glanced up at Xema, who seemed to be replaying the situation in her head and wondering if she had just made a wrong more. He grinned and then laughed.  
  
"Hey! That's my first one!" He admitted, trying to help Xema loosen up. It worked. She smiled, and then began to laugh too, hugging him close to her. "Can I have another one?" Daxter asked eagerly. Xema raised an eyebrow and put a finger to her lips, as if in deep thought.  
  
"We'll see. Maybe if you behave yourself." Daxter grinned and nuzzled his cheek against hers.  
  
"I promise to be a good little ottsel." He said in an honest voice. Xema kept her arms wrapped around his furry little body. She was happy beyond all measure that they were friends again. She felt as if her love for him had just grown ten fold since they had made up. Xema wondered if now was the best time to reveal HER secret to Daxter. How she well and truly had feelings for him. But when she glanced down at the ball of fuzz in her arms, grinning form ear to ear, she decided to stay silent. She didn't want to ruin the moment with the wrong words. And besides, she wanted this moment to last forever. 


	6. The Dream

Yes, I realize it's been a long wait for this chapter. I flew home last week, and I've kind of been busy with other things (We've moved house, so I had to unpack my room, go shopping *The MUST thing to do in Hong Kong* and a bunch of other things). I have a feeling this chapter will be a bit shorter than the others *shrugs shoulders* I dunno. I have yet to compare them. Also, only three characters appear in it, so if your reading this for someone like Jak or Keira. Sorry, perhaps the next chapter.  
  
Anyways, there's a lot more Jak and Daxter orientated art in my gallery now, so if you're feeling board, why not pop over there and have a look. Don't forget to leave a review either!  
  
And finally, this chapter is dedicated to: Michelle. Simply because of all the nice comments she's left on my gallery/fic. See Michelle! I DID remember to dedicate it to you! Despite my over indulgence in Diet Coke *cough* Um, yeah. So here's the story folks. Enjoy!  
  
~Keysha  
  
***  
  
Jak and Daxter: Legend of the Lost White City  
  
Chapter six: The Dream  
  
Xema woke up late into the night. She was sure she had heard footsteps outside. Perhaps it was her mind playing tricks on her. What ever it was, she sure didn't trust it. Or perhaps she didn't trust sleeping on the ground. Xema wasn't used to not sleeping high up in a tree. But that night, she awoke in a curled up position underneath a rather leafy bush. The wind was howling through the trees, and she would have been freezing had it not been for the blanket Daxter had brought out for her.  
  
Xema glanced down at the little furball. He had insisted on staying with her during the night, and she was eternally grateful. He was again proving his ability to sleep through anything. He was snoring away, oblivious to the fact that the wind was screaming all around them. Xema pulled the blanket closer to her body and stroked Daxter's fur kindly. She doubted that she'd get much sleep that night, but at least she had company. Xema pulled Daxter closer towards her, and lay her head back down on the grass, attempting to get back to sleep for the hundredth time that night.  
  
***  
  
Daxter knew he was dreaming the instant he looked down at his paws. No longer furry, he discovered he once again had hairless fingers. He glanced down at his body, now covered in his white clothes and red coat, and when he glanced around at his back, he was relived to find he no longer had a tail. Unfortunately, when he pinched himself, the result of no pain signaled that nothing he was looking at was reality.  
  
He was surrounded by a world of purple cloud. The whole area was misty and empty asides from him and the figure standing next to him.  
  
"Xema?" He asked rather breathlessly, glancing at her. Now in his human form, he could see that she was ever so slightly shorter than he was. Not that he was incredibly tall for his age anyway. She looked up at him and smiled as she took his hand and laced her fingers between his. At first he was rather shocked by her action, until he remembered that he was still dreaming. This wasn't the real Xema. Only the one he had pictured in his mind. He couldn't even feel her touch as she rested her head on his shoulder.  
  
"Where ARE we?" He asked the dream girl beside him. She glanced around at the purple mist and shrugged her shoulders.  
  
"Anywhere you choose to be Daxter." She spoke almost robotically. As if she were repeating words from a script. In a way, it was starting to make Daxter feel uneasy. He removed his hand from hers and started to back away.  
  
"Where are you going?" She asked. He shook his head.  
  
"I've got to wake up." He insisted. "You're not really Xema, you're just who I WANT Xema to be." He looked down at his hands. "I look like I WANT to! But it's not the same!"  
  
He turned to leave, but the girl placed a hand on his shoulder and held him back.  
  
"I might not be Xema, but I can tell you things you want to know." She insisted. "It's important that you listen to your dreams Daxter. And it's important that you stay with Xema for as long as you can. You will both need each other in the near future."  
  
Daxter was beginning to feel very uncomfortable. He didn't like this kind of confirmation, especially in his dreams, where he usually ESCAPED his problems of the outside world. Now, it seemed, they were even invading his subconscious mind.  
  
"Daxter. Are you LISTENING?" The girl asked.  
  
'That's a strange question.' Daxter thought. 'She's asking me if I'm listening to the voices in my head!' The girl frowned.  
  
"Daxter, listen to me. Xema LIKES you! And not just in that pathetic 'I like you as a friend' way. I mean she REALLY likes you!"  
  
Daxter shook his head furiously.  
  
"Uh, hello! Girl with the Xema voice. I don't think your notification skills are up to scratch! Outside of my head, I'm not even HUMAN! How can Xema like me if I'm not even the same SPIECES as her?"  
  
The girl shook her head as if he had asked one of the most idiotic questions she had ever heard.  
  
"Daxter, even if you WERE in your normal form outside your dreams, you STILL wouldn't be the same species would you?" The clueless expression on his face told her she had to continue. She sighed.  
  
"Did you ever notice that she has WINGS?" The girl laughed slightly. "Xema's race is an evolved form of your own, but not COMPLETELY the same. Do you think THAT is going to make a difference as to whether she likes you or not?"  
  
Daxter was speechless. She was RIGHT! He simply shook his head in response. The girl giggled.  
  
"Daxter, you KNOW what you have to do!" She insisted, before turning to leave.  
  
"Wait!" Daxter called to the girl, chasing after her. She spun around just as he took her gently into his arms and hugged her. She returned the hug, and then pulled away.  
  
"What was that for?" She questioned. He smiled rather awkwardly.  
  
"Well, I may never be human again." He admitted with a hinge of sadness on his voice. "I'll never know what holding Xema would be like, seen as she'll always be bigger than me. It's my dream to hold her in my arms, and since this IS my dream, I thought I'd try it out." He sighed. "But I couldn't feel anything. It's not reality, and NEVER will be."  
  
Before he could continue further, the dream girl placed the tips of her fingers on his lips to silence him.  
  
"Daxter, you can't predict the future. Never give into something, no matter how bad things may look. Maybe one day, you will be human. Or maybe." Her voice trailed off.  
  
"Or maybe what?" Daxter asked hopefully, thinking that his or Xema's future lay in her next words.  
  
"I can't say anymore." The girl insisted.  
  
And then the dream ended.  
  
***  
  
As he scanned the empty coastline, the young guard sighed in vain. This was hopeless. Xema was long gone. How Karma thought he even had a CHANCE of catching up to her was a mystery. He had caught sight of the other city guards flying towards a small village by the sea earlier that morning. Perhaps they had a clue as to where she could be. The boy sighed again, his eyes scanning over the beach until something caught his eye. There, lying in plain sight on one of the many stones littering the beach was Xema's sandals. Left behind from the day before. So she WAS nearby! Just how close he had no idea, but he knew that he was getting warmer. He felt his hand slip inside his satchel, and he ran his hand lightly down the blade of his knife. If all went to plan, it would soon be all over, and he could go home. Knowing that the dreadful deed was over, and that his own life was no longer in jeopardy.  
  
***  
  
"You look tired!" Was the first thing Xema heard when she opened her heavy eyelids early that morning.  
  
"Thanks! Is that how you ALWAYS greet people when they wake up?" Xema rubbed her eyes, trying to regain enough consciousness so that she could at least stand up. Daxter laughed nervously and rubbed the back of his neck.  
  
"No, that's just how I greet pretty girls when THEY wake up beside me!" He laughed, but Xema just cocked an eyebrow at him.  
  
"Admit it Daxter." She teased. "I'm the ONLY girl that's woken up beside you!"  
  
Daxter's laughter haltered. He tried to think of a come back, but couldn't bring himself to find one.  
  
"Keep this in mind Xema: 'IOU one comeback!'" He snapped at her. Xema could only laugh as she stood up and starched her aching limbs.  
  
"Where are you going?" Daxter asked her as she left their haven under the trees, heading towards the ocean. She turned around and smiled.  
  
"To stretch my wings." She continued walking away. "Wanna come?"  
  
Daxter had not missed the flying trips Xema had taken him on before. Whenever Xema felt like performing some aerobatic act in mid air, he had felt like loosing his lunch. Then again, after that dream, he was too scared to leave Xema's side for any reason.  
  
"Sure. As long as you promise not to go too fast, or roll in mid air or basically anything else that isn't necessary."  
  
Xema began to laugh; she picked up Daxter and hugged him close.  
  
"I promise." She insisted, and smiled as she heard Daxter breath a sigh of relief. She opened her wings, and a few seconds later; they were airborne, circling the beach and jungle from high up in the clouds. Daxter snuggled close to her as the air temperature dropped heavily. Trying to keep himself, and also Xema, as warm as possible.  
  
Perhaps he was being a bit over protective, but he didn't care. This heavenly area was the perfect place to discuss his feelings with Xema. He was trying his best to go by the advice of the girl in his dreams; now all he wanted to do was tell Xema how he felt about her. But every time he tried to say something, he just could not force the words beyond his mouth. Perhaps this WASN'T the best time to talk about it.  
  
But is this wasn't, then WHEN would it be? How long did he have to wait until he could tell Xema exactly how he felt? Would he have to wait his whole life just to tell Xema he loved her?  
  
He cringed. Did he just think the 'L' word? He never thought he had been THAT serious about Xema. Was that a sign that he HAD to tell her now? He couldn't wait his whole life to tell her. He sighed heavily. For all he knew, ottsels did not live as long as humans did.  
  
***  
  
The guard watched intensely as the young princess flew out of hiding and into the morning air. He licked his lips in anticipation as he brought his long, sliver knife into view. It glistened in the early morning rays, and he smiled wickedly at the thought of using it. Even if there WERE city guards hanging around, they wouldn't see Xema up in the clouds. He could easily 'dispose' of her, and never get caught.  
  
Stretching his large, powerful wings, the guard kicked off from the ground and steadily climbed into the sky himself. Preparing the deadly weapon in his hand, ready to attack Xema as soon as he got the chance. 


	7. The Hunted

*Yawns* I've been typing this chapter since Midnight, and I've only just finished now, so I thought I'd better upload it.  
  
Uh. Yeah. Tis another short chapter. I wanted to get it out of the way before I go back to school. It might be a few weeks before the next chapter - I've got Mock exams, and Classical Studies really requires some hard study. So basically, this chapter is too make up for the upload lacking there will be. Oh yeah, there's a 'little' (and I DO mean little) surprise at the end. Might be a bit strange form the way I usually write the characters, but some of you have been asking for it. uh yeah, I'll shut up and let you read now.  
  
Until the exams are over *sigh* here's wishing!  
  
~ Keysha  
  
Jak and Daxter: Legend of the Lost White City  
  
Chapter seven: The Hunted  
  
"Xema? Can you hear it?"  
  
The ginger haired girl nodded. Above them in the clouds, she could hear the distant flapping of a large set of wings. It was a guard, she could tell. And she KNEW he had spotted her.  
  
"We have to get on the ground." She whispered to Daxter. "I'll have places to hide down there."  
  
Xema slowly began to loose altitude, dropping out of the clouds into open view. She felt a chill run down her spine as a dark shadow fell over her. As much as she dreaded the thought, she slowly gazed over her shoulder to look at her stalker. But the image she expected to see was far different from the one she got.  
  
Xema only caught a glimpse of her attacker, a young boy with pale blonde hair and a mean smirk spread across his face. What REALLY caught her attention was the long, sliver blade that he clutched as he raised it high above his head.  
  
"No!" Xema squealed, dodging away from the blade as fast as she could. It failed to hurt her fatally, but it did manage to heavily cut her right arm. Xema yelped in pain, and almost dropped Daxter. Both of them glanced down at her heavily bleeding arm and cried with alarm.  
  
"GEEZE! What's his PROBLEM?" Daxter squealed as the raced through the air, attempting to escape the guard. But no matter how hard Xema flew, the guard was always right behind them, gaining ground on her every second. She dived low, heading towards the water, while Daxter (Who has completely forgotten about his airsickness) was attempting to crawl across her shoulders.  
  
"Daxter, what are you DOING?" Xema yelled as she dived.  
  
"Trying to HELP YOU!" He shouted back. "You're bleeding A LOT Xema!" She glanced down at her arm briefly, and almost wished she hadn't. There was a considerable amount of blood leaking out of her arm and billowing behind her into the empty sky as she dived.  
  
"I'm OKAY!" She insisted, although her tone clearly told Daxter she wasn't. Xema was not in the mood for arguments right now though. Turning on a slight angle, she dodged another attack from the guard and nose-dived towards the sea, her heart racing faster than it ever had before.  
  
"XEMA!" Daxter yelled as he clung hold of her shoulders for dear life. He DID trust her, but what she seemed to be attempting to do was suicide. They were racing at breakneck speed towards the ocean, and just a few arms- lengths behind them, some crazy boy was waving around a knife as if it were a baseball bat.  
  
"It's okay!" Xema tried to yell back at him, but she felt that it was a lost call. Her voice would have been swept away in the wind as she hurtled to the ground. The ocean was just centimeters from them now. Daxter shut his eyes tightly and held himself close to Xema, waiting for the watery impact. But at the last second, Xema pulled away, the pressure straining her wings and burning her muscles. She could hardly believe it herself. What had seemed like an impossible maneuver had actually WORKED.  
  
Xema wasn't the only one who was surprised. The guard, who was still hurtling towards the sea, gazed up at her with shock and alarm as she painfully gained altitude again with her painfully sore wings. He himself was not ready to pull off an attempt such as that, and before he could react, he crashed into the sea, sending a wave of water in every imaginable direction.  
  
Xema hovered high above the ocean, trying desperately to ignore the endless pain coming from her wings and bleeding arm. Daxter had now opened his eyes, and breathed a sigh of relief as he gazed over her shoulder towards the landing zone of the guard. A few seconds later, they both caught sight of a small figure surface for air. Xema sighed with relief. It was all over now. He wouldn't be able to fly out of the water if his wings were soaked.  
  
Daxter, on the other hand, knew that there were still problems ahead.  
  
"That psycho with the knife better get out of the water while he still has a CHANCE!" The ottsel insisted. Xema tensed up when she heard him speak.  
  
"W-what's wrong?" She stuttered. She was beginning to feel slightly woozy, probably because she had lost a lot of blood from her cut on her arm, and things were beginning to appear darker than they usually did.  
  
"There are sharks in the water!" Daxter squeaked. "If one of them sees him splashing around like that." The sight of a large, bulky object swimming towards the guard cut him off. Xema's eyes widened in shock and she tried to scream out a warning, but it was all over in a few seconds. The shark surfaced, opened its mouth, and then disappeared back into the water's murky depths. The guard had disappeared, and would never re-appear again.  
  
Xema made a slight choking sound. She had never felt more dirty or repulsed in all her life. In a way, she felt she was hugely responsible for that guard's death. Daxter heard her sobbing and climbed over her shoulder so that he could sit in her arms and face her. He tried shushing her, but she continued to gasp and gulp, until her breathing started to suffer. Tears were slowly falling down her cheeks and Daxter found himself unable to decide what to say or do. He had never experienced the frustration of dealing with a crying girl before, and the idea of trying to sort everything out was making his tiny little head hurt from the thought.  
  
"Daxter.I have to get back to the beach." Xema choked. Things were beginning to go blurry, and she was having trouble staying in the air. He looked shocked, but nodded his head.  
  
"Are you okay?" he asked. Xema shook her head, and he could tell by her distant gaze that she would soon faint. Despite the fact that they were hovering a few meters above shark infested waters, Daxter had his mind set on other things asides being swallowed whole by a giant fish. He kept talking to Xema as she slowly drifted back towards the sandy beach. Trying to keep her talking back to him until they finally reached the safe haven of the beach, where Xema collapsed on her hands and knees.  
  
"Daxter?" Xema glanced down at her arm. It was now swollen and still bleeding, although not as much as before. She needed to stop the bleeding, but she was becoming so weak she could barley remain conscious.  
  
"Daxter? I think I'm going to faint." Xema gasped, glancing down at the worried little ottsel.  
  
"No! You can't! What am I going to do?" Daxter quivered at the thought that he may have to leave Xema in order to get help. Xema gasped again, slowly sinking to the ground.  
  
"Go get Keira or Jak." She insisted. Clutching at her gashed arm.  
  
And then everything went black.  
  
***  
  
Xema awoke later that day, not feeling any better than the time she had collapsed on the beach. Her arm was now cleaned and tightly bandaged up, much to her relief. Beside her, Daxter sighed heavily when he noticed she had awoken.  
  
"I thought you'd stepped into the light." He sighed happily, as he jumped into her arms and delivered a tight hug. "Are you feeling better baby?"  
  
"Not much. But at least I'm not bleeding any more!" Xema cradled the ottsel in her arms lovingly. It was only when a small cough caught her attention, did she notice the three figures standing in the doorway.  
  
"Jak? Keira?" Xema smiled slightly, happy to see her old friends again. The third figure, Samos walked over to the young girl with keen interest.  
  
"So. YOU'RE this girl I've been hearing about for the past day." Samos stifled a laugh. "Well, I really don't see what all the fuss has been about. The green eco I've given you seems to have done its job, although I'm not sure if you'll have enough strength to fly home today. But I'm sure one of the young men outside won't mind carrying you."  
  
"What?" Xema breathlessly asked. She had never met Samos before, and as startling as the old man's presence was, she was more concerned with his last comment. She stole a look from Keira, to Jak and finally to Daxter. They all seemed rather nervous, fully aware that she was not going to like what they had to tell her.  
  
"Xema." Keira began. "The guards from the city are here. They've come to take you back home. You HAVE to go back. If you don't the whole city could be cursed forever!"  
  
Xema bit her bottom lip hard. "You know?" She asked, glancing down awkwardly. They nodded, and Xema sighed.  
  
"Karma. She, she threatened to kill me if I came back."  
  
There was a stunned silence. Jak glanced at Keira, wondering if she could think of anything to say. Samos seemed confused about the whole plot itself. Daxter rubbed his arm nervously.  
  
"It's okay." Keira insisted. "No one will hurt you when you return."  
  
Xema gave her a suspicious glance. "How can you be so sure?" The princess questioned. Keira looked at Jak, who smiled.  
  
"Because we're coming with you." The blonde insisted. 


	8. The Limit

Hey all! Here's chapter eight! I know I said it would be after the exams till the next one, but you see, my flight from Hong Kong to New Zealand is 11 hours long, and I've got to do SOMETHING to pass the time. So I thought I'd use my laptop and type out the chapter so you wouldn't be waiting a great deal of time until the next one. *Dances* Oh joy! At least I got that last cliffhanger out of the way.only to leave you with another. (Okay, that happens with almost ALL my chapters, but at least one is gone.)  
  
Anyway, I predict about 2 chapters after this one and the fic will finally be finished! Which is good news for my two other incomplete fics. Agh! WHY was I stupid enough to work on three at once? Anyway, I'll try and get the next one done ASAP after the exams. Once again, thank you SO much for all the wonderful reviews. The last time I checked, it was 43, and that's the MOST I've ever had for a fanfic before! Thank you, thank you THANK YOU!  
  
~ Keysha  
  
Jak and Daxter: Legend of the Lost White City  
  
Chapter Eight: The Limit  
  
Keira clung tightly to the shoulders of the burly guard who carried her. Although the dizzying heights weren't scaring her, she still thought the extra security of holding on would help. Just incase the guard DID accidentally drop her. For some reason, her father had requested to stay behind, mentioning that he was 'too old' to travel by air. Perhaps there was a teleporter gate somewhere in the city that they could turn on and transport him there.  
  
Keira glanced around at the small group as they raced back towards the city. Aside the six guards and the one carrying her, there was another guard, much larger than her own, carrying Jak. He was once again enjoying the experience, and the guard seemed to understand this, every now and again swooping higher or performing a quick 'loop-the-loop' as they raced back to the lost city. Keira rolled her eyes. Trust Jak!  
  
The scene in front of her was far different than the one on her side. The lead guard, a huge, muscular man, flew swiftly, gently carrying the weak Xema in his arms. She seemed to be coming in and out of consciousness, her head resting on the guard's shoulder. Daxter was with her, of course, talking to her and brushing her swaying fringe out of her eyes. Keira had never seen such a worried look on the ottsel's face before. His feelings towards Xema had defiantly brought out a different side to him, and Keira was still wondering if in deed, his attitude towards her was more than one of his mere 'puppy-love' phases.  
  
A swift turn right, and the sun caught Keira full in the face. It was SO bright! And no wonder, it was SETTING! The group only had a few hours at the moment before the day was over. Keira's heart started to race, they just HAD to reach the city before the sun had fully set. If not, it and its people could truly be lost forever. Keira stole another quick glance at Xema. Her eyes were almost fully open now. Hopefully she would be able to gain enough strength and fly herself soon. If not, it would be up to the guards to return her to the city before the sands of time ran out.  
  
***  
  
Grain by grain, the top half of the glass dome emptied. Karma sat on a pile of soft, velvety cushions, resting her arms and head on the table that the hourglass rested on. She smiled wickedly as the upper dome emptied slowly.  
  
Draco paced the table beside her, muttering under his breath. Maybe if he had spent more TIME with Xema, she wouldn't have become so desperate to escape from their home. He HAD thought that she was in love from the events of their last discussion. Perhaps this idea had scared her. Or perhaps the thought of the prophecy had frightened her. But how could that be? Xema knew nothing about the prophecy? Didn't she?  
  
"Karma?" Draco spun around and looked at his eldest child. Barely lifting her gaze from the hourglass, she muttered a small 'yeah'  
  
"Did you ever tell Xema about the prophecy?"  
  
Not removing her gaze from the falling grains, Karma shook her head. "Why no father. Something like that would possibly SCARE our little Xema."  
  
Draco sighed, and flopped down beside Karma, rubbing his temples. "I don't understand it." He mumbled. "She seemed perfectly fine, and then all of a sudden: 'POOF!' she was gone!"  
  
Karma made a light little laughing sound, and sat behind her father, massaging his aging muscles. "Father, she's just very ADVENTUROUS for her age. She probably can't stand being cooped up in the city. Besides, she's so much like MOTHER was. She was such a free spirit!"  
  
Draco nodded. "Yes, she is a lot like your mother." His tightened his lips. "She never liked being cooped up here either. Perhaps it was her mother's free-spirit that gave Xema the gift to pass the dome that traps the rest of us." Draco chuckled slightly. "Of all our rotten luck!" He muttered. His gaze lifted slightly, and fell upon the hourglass. "What's that?" He asked.  
  
"A present from a friend." Karma said without skipping a beat. "They made it for me to record how long it takes the guards to return Xema to the city." She smiled evilly. "And if you don't mind me saying father, they're becoming pretty slack at their job." She indicated to the minute amount of sand in the higher dome. "I think it's about time you hire some YOUNGER guards to look after her. I happen to know a strong young lad who'd be PERFECT for the job!"  
  
Draco sighed and shook his head. "I trust my men Karma. I just want to know WHAT is taking so long?" He stole a look at the almost empty hourglass. "Xema, WHERE are you?" He whispered.  
  
***  
  
"I'm okay, just let me down."  
  
The guard reluctantly set Xema down on her feet, ready to catch her should she fall. But the princess stood up, looking as healthy as the day she had left the city. That is if you ignored the heavy bandage wrapped around her arm.  
  
"Do you think you can fly the rest of the way?" He asked her hopefully. She smiled and nodded.  
  
"Yeah. I'll be fine." Xema insisted, glancing around the clearing. They were taking a quick break, and the guards were willingly resting their aching limbs and taking great mouthfuls of water from a nearby stream. Meanwhile, Jak, who was standing beside Xema, gave her a light pat on the back, and a warm smile, happy that she had fully recovered. Daxter's expressions of relief were far greater than Jak's. He had his arms fully wrapped around Xema's neck, and his tail was curled lightly around her un- cut arm as her nuzzled his cheek against hers. Keira laughed as she caught sight of this.  
  
"If I didn't know any better Daxter, I'd say you were HAPPY that Xema was okay."  
  
"SHUT UP!" Daxter growled. "Happy is NOT the word I would use. It would be more like Pleased, ecstatic, happy-beyond-all-measures!"  
  
Xema smiled and stroked Daxter's furry back kindly. As the four enjoyed the tender moment, the lead guard approached the group. "It's time to move on." He indicated to the sky, now streamed with light as the sun continued to move on. It would obviously not wait for them.  
  
Xema turned to the guard. "If you don't mind, I'd like to go on ahead. I haven't been flying, so I'll have more energy." The guard opened his mouth to protest, but Xema raised a hand to silence him. "I'm not going anywhere asides the city. I understand the importance of getting home before the sunsets. I'm not self-centered you know, Now that I know how important it is that I remain in the city boundaries, I'm willing to stay if it will prevent everyone else from suffering." Xema swallowed hard. She had never spoken like that before, and she felt that she had acted to 'mature' for herself.  
  
The guard smiled at her. "My princess, you sound so much like your mother." Xema blushed.  
  
"Don't say that. I feel so OLD!" She gushed.  
  
"Really? You don't look it!" Daxter piped up from his cradled position in her arms. Xema grinned down at him.  
  
"Thanks. So, are you coming with me?" The ottsel grinned and nodded.  
  
"Charging Yakaow couldn't tear me away from you!" He piped up, turning towards Jak and Keira as Xema lifted off from the ground. "We'll see you two at the city!" He called, waving at his two friends as they flapped above the tree canopy and away from the group.  
  
Keira and Jak stood side-by-side, waving goodbye from the departing duo. As soon as they were gone from sight, Keira turned to Jak.  
  
"He's completely head over heels for her isn't he?" She asked grinning. Jak laughed loudly and nodded his head. He was indeed very happy. Not only did his best friend have someone that he liked, but now the little weasel wouldn't be after his girlfriend anymore.  
  
***  
  
Xema had never flown so fast in all her life. Clinging hold of Daxter, she zoomed above the clouds, heading towards her home. Daxter looked up at her rather nervously. Coughing lightly, he tried to ignore her determined expression as he spoke up.  
  
"Xema, I only have one problem at the moment. Didn't your sister say that she's KILL you if you went back to the city?"  
  
Their flight skidded to a halt. Both Xema and Daxter felt like they had huge lumps imbedded in their throats. The two of them just hovered in mid air for a minute or two, trying to decide what to do next. Xema felt like hitting herself. She should have stayed with the guards. They could have protected her. Then again, there was that corrupt guard who had tried to kill her. She had no idea of any of the others were trustworthy. What would happen to Keira and Jak if they decided to do them in? Unaware of what to do, Xema felt Daxter place a paw on her shoulder.  
  
"Don't worry." He coxed her. "I'll be there to protect you." He hunched his shoulders and glanced down sheepishly. "Not that I could do much being this short anyway." He sighed under his breath. Xema smiled and stroked the back of his head.  
  
"I'm glad you're with me Daxter." She insisted, pulling him in closer. "Sometimes smaller company is better than the bigger one." She kissed him lightly on the cheek, and the warm feeling it brought to Daxter instantly improved his courage. Not by much, but it was defiantly an improvement.  
  
"Well, let's go kick your sister's scrawny royal butt!" He cheered as Xema flew on.  
  
***  
  
With aching muscles, Xema gently landed within the city boundaries. And just in time too. Xema felt the last warming rays of the sun stroke her back as they melted beyond the horizon. She breathed a sigh of relief as she looked around the city. Nothing had been affected, however, the crystal-like dome still encased the city. Xema sighed heavily as she remembered the other half of the prophecy.  
  
"Of COURSE." She muttered. As if that challenge to race home hadn't been bad enough. Now she still had the OTHER part of the prophecy as a burden on her shoulders. This time, however, it was a very sentimental one. Daxter looked up at her curiously. He had jumped down from her arms to give her a rest, and now looked up at her from his diminutive height.  
  
"What's up?" He asked. Xema looked down at him, and opened her mouth as if she were about to answer. But then she quickly closed her jaw and shook her head slightly.  
  
"Don't worry." She insisted, taking a few steps forward. "Come on, let's get back to the palace tower." Daxter watched her curiously as she walked away.  
  
"We're walking? What happened to FLYING?" He raced along on all fours to catch up. Xema looked down and put a finger to her lips.  
  
"We can't go drawing my sister's attention towards me." Xema insisted as they walked along the deserted, shimmering White Street. "Besides, I'm too exhausted to fly any more." Daxter nodded in understanding.  
  
"Hey, why is it so deserted down here?" He asked nervously. Xema smiled.  
  
"Hey, if you had wings, do you think YOU'D ever walk?" She pointed above towards the tall tree canopy and cloud formations. "They're all up there. We don't usually walk about that much when we travel, it's a lot faster flying."  
  
"Oh." Daxter felt rather stupid. Xema laughed and picked him up.  
  
"Come on, I'll carry you. If we walk at your pace, it will take ALL NIGHT to get home!"  
  
Daxter pouted. "Hey! YOU try walking at a decent speed when your legs are this long!" He indicated to his tiny little ottsel legs, to which Xema started laughing and began tickling the bottom of his feet, sending Daxter into a tickle-torment as she walked down the street.  
  
***  
  
Draco stared amongst the city rooftops. Nothing had changed. Was it supposed to? If Xema wasn't back, wasn't something supposed to happen to seal the city's doom? Karma was also glancing about, although unlike her father, she was enjoying this moment. While Draco believed he was staring upon a doomed city, Karma felt she was looking upon a kingdom that would soon be hers.  
  
"Sir, has Xema returned to the tower yet?"  
  
The two of them spun around. The search party that was supposed to be seeking out Xema was standing behind them, accompanied by the wingless children from the seaside village.  
  
"What did you SAY?" Karma almost spat. The head guard walked up to them and bowed.  
  
"Sir, Xema returned to the city before us. She was ahead, but we caught sight of her entering the cities boundaries before the sunset. The city is still safe."  
  
Draco breathed a sigh of relief, while beside him; Karma could barely contain her rage. This did not go unnoticed to Keira and Jak.  
  
"Not YET it's not!" Keira insisted, pointing an accusing finger at Karma. "SHE threatened to kill Xema if she came back to the city. Your daughter is the reason all of this started!"  
  
There was a deathly silence as everyone around took in Keira's words. Karma growled angrily and grabbed Keira by the wrist.  
  
"How DARE you accuse me of something so atrocious! I would NEVER attack my little sister like that!" Karma turned towards Draco. "Father? Are you going to stand by and let them INSULT me like this?" Draco glared at Keira and Jak. It was true, how could they even say something like this to them? How could he trust these strangers whom he barely knew. Catching sight of Draco's glare, Jak stepped forward.  
  
"It's true!" He insisted. Keira nodded her head rapidly. "Xema told us!" Keira tried to explain. But Draco cut them off with a bloody roar of anger.  
  
"SILENCE! You come back here, unwelcome into the city, and INSIST that my own DAUGHTER is responsible for all of these problems? And on top of that, you accuse her of threatening to KILL her own SISTER!" He turned his head away in disgust. "I thought I could trust you, but obviously you have no respect for my city, its people or even my own family.  
  
He turned to the lead guard.  
  
"Take them away. Do what you must, just make sure I never see them again!"  
  
Yelling objections the whole time, the guards took a strong hold of Jak and Keira and began to drag them away. Through the sea of guards, Jak caught sight of Karma peeking at them. She smiled wickedly and waved goodbye to him as he reddened with anger. Karma sighed. That was two problems out of the way. Now she just had to get rid of her little sister and that annoying little rodent.  
  
THEN all her problems would be over. 


	9. The Past

Yay! Exams are finally over I'm still stressing though, since the results are still to come. But anyway, contrary to what I said in the note before chapter eight, this WON'T be the second to last chapter. It is the FOURTH to last, so there are only three chapters left AFTER this one. Basically, because this chapter would be way too long if it was just one! I need space between them; otherwise I'd get MAJOR typing cramp. But yeah, not long till the end now (FINALLY!)  
  
Also, I need to note to Michelle: My email won't let me reply to the ones you're sending me, so that's why you're not getting any replies, I'm not being rude! ( Also, do you mind just cutting and pasting your stories on the email text board and sending them to me? The links aren't working so I can't read your stories! (  
  
Finally, another chapter dedication is up: This time to the wonderful Mandy, especially for that BEAUFTIFUL picture that she drew of Xema for me! *.* I can't thank you enough Mandy, so I hope this chapter dedication will suffice! ;)  
  
~ Keysha  
  
Jak and Daxter: Legend of the Lost White City  
  
Chapter Nine: The Past  
  
Xema gazed up at the tower, the place that she used to call home. It felt so unwelcoming. She just couldn't help but feel that something wasn't right.  
  
"It's really quiet." Daxter noted, looking up at the empty sky.  
  
"Yeah, TOO quiet." Xema replied. She heard a scared little gulp coming from her companion beside her feet.  
  
"Is that normal?" Daxter quivered. Xema bent down and picked him up, trying to reassure him that everything was okay. But truthfully, she knew something was wrong.  
  
"So, would you mind telling me where you've been young lady?" A voice whispered behind them. Xema spun around to come face to face with her father. Draco tensed up, ready for Xema to throw an onslaught at him. This time he was ready.  
  
But Xema reacted in an entirely different way this time. She placed the ottsel back on the ground, before running up to him and throwing her arms around his neck.  
  
"FATHER!" Xema burst into uncontrollable gasps for breath as she began to weep. "I'm SO SORRY! I didn't realize I would be doing the city so much harm if I ran away!" The princess gasped between breaths. Stunned, Draco wrapped his arms around his daughter and shushed her.  
  
"It's alright Xema." He insisted. "You didn't know, I should have told you the truth a long time ago."  
  
Through her gasps, Xema heard a voice she purely loathed behind them.  
  
"Ah, here's the final traitor!" Karma hissed, grabbing Daxter by the tail and hoisting him into the air.  
  
"Get off me you YACOW!" Daxter cried, taking a swipe at Karma with his tiny clenched paw, missing her by a mile.  
  
Xema spun around, gasped, and pulled away from her father's grasp.  
  
"Leave him alone you WITCH!" Xema raced up to Karma and grabbed Daxter by the waist, releasing him from Karma's tight grip, his tail now creased up from her hold.  
  
"Witch?" Draco echoed Xema's words. "Karma's just trying to protect you Xema, after those horrid children tried to accuse her for your disappearance, that little hairball is probably part of their scheme!"  
  
"Kids?" Xema echoed, realizing that her father was referring to Keira and Jak.  
  
"Hairball?" Daxter also echoed with an annoyed voice.  
  
"Father! Keira and Jak were telling the truth!" Xema insisted. She caught the glare of her sister out of the corner of her eye, mouthing the words: 'don't even THINK about it!' Xema swallowed hard. Karma couldn't kill in front of her father. She was safe to confess.  
  
"Father, Keira and Jak have done nothing wrong. Neither has Daxter." Xema whirled around and pointed an accusing finger at Karma, who had turned a pale shade of white.  
  
"KARMA!" Xema growled. "Threatened to kill me if I didn't leave the city! She wants the throne and was willing to take down anyone who got in her way!" She lowered her eyes at her older sister. "YOU bribed that guard to find me and have me 'disposed' of, DIDN'T you Karma?"  
  
Karma was at a loss for words. She stood her ground and gnashed her teeth, glaring at Xema.  
  
"Well, he's shark food now!" Daxter shot at the mad girl. Karma seemed to be cursing bloody murder now, glaring at Daxter like she was about to grab the orange furball and tear him limb from limb. Sensing her anger, Daxter, clung tight to Xema for protection. Xema backed away from Karma, standing beside her father, who also looked like he was about to blow a fuse.  
  
"Karma, is this TRUE?" Draco growled. Karma's angry expression failed to mellow, she glanced angrily at her father, and then at Xema, who was tightly clutching the little weasel in her arms.  
  
"I'll get you for this you brat!" Karma hissed, raising her fist in the air.  
  
Suddenly, there was a flash of blinding silver sparks, and Karma was gone.  
  
Draco rubbed his eyes, trying to get rid of the white spots in front of his eyes. "I can't BELIVE it!" He muttered. "Betrayed by one of my OWN children!"  
  
Xema ignored his groans, more concerned with Daxter than anything else. "You okay?" She asked, worried that the whole ordeal had disturbed him in some way. He rubbed his eyes, then smiled up at her.  
  
"Yeah, I've been in worse positions than that." He insisted, as Xema gently took the crease out of his tail. "Thanks." He smiled, nuzzling his tiny ottsel muzzle against her cheek. She smiled back, happy that he was okay.  
  
Draco sighed heavily, before placing a hand on Xema's shoulder.  
  
"Xema, I'm sorry I didn't trust you. Believe me, If I had KNOWN Karma was betraying me, I would NEVER have done anything to your friends.  
  
Both Xema and Daxter gasped. "What have you DONE to them?" Xema chocked, fearing the worse. Draco shook his head.  
  
"Nothing, They're just being held captive at the moment." He smiled at his youngest daughter. "Everyone deserves a fair trial right? I couldn't just have them executed or banished without proven guilty!" He laughed. "But after THAT experience with Karma, I don't think we'll be having a trial after all!  
  
***  
  
Late that evening, the four kids sat in Xema's room, glad that the whole ordeal was over. Jak and Keira especially, their time in the dungeon (Which didn't seem a fitting name for it, since really it was a suspended platform high up into the clouds) was an unwelcome one, and both were happy to be free and on 'slightly' solid ground.  
  
"What happened to Karma?" Keira said rather nervously, looking up from the pile of pillows she had sunk into. Xema glanced down at her from her curled up position on the bed, not willing to talk about it.  
  
"She disappeared." Xema sighed. Her sister was still on the loose, meaning that she was still out to get her and the other three.  
  
"Disappeared? How so?" Keira seemed confused, and Xema couldn't blame her. But she wasn't the only one.  
  
"Yeah, HOW did she do that?" Daxter asked quizzically. "There was some bright silver explosion and then she was gone!  
  
Xema sighed. "Silver eco." She muttered. The reaction was instant and unexpected for her. Jak fell out of the chair he was leaning back in, Keira jumped to her feet, and Daxter sat straight up.  
  
"WHAT?" The three of them gasped in unison. Xema almost would have laughed at the sight, had it not been so serious.  
  
"Silver eco." She echoed, as if it was no big deal. "We used to mine for it thousands of years ago, in caves just outside the city, but we can't reach it anymore because of the curse."  
  
The same, jaw-dropping expressions on the three faces told Xema she needed to explain more. She sighed and continued.  
  
"It's quite rare, maybe that's why you act like you've never heard of it before." She smiled, and placed her hand under Daxter's jaw, shutting his mouth, which was still wide open. "It has the power of flight and teleportation, but it's not incredibly strong."  
  
"What do you mean?" Keira asked. Her father would be THRILLED with information like this.  
  
"Well, there's not much of it left. There may have been a lot more silver eco in the hills years ago, but it seems to be diminishing quite quickly. It might have been the eco that caused us to evolve with wings." Xema shrugged her shoulders. "At least that's what some people think."  
  
"But that DOESN'T explain how Karma disappeared!" Daxter interrupted. Xema patted him on the head and smiled.  
  
"Patience little one." She teased. "Like I said, it can also be used for teleporting people. Since we can all fly, silver eco has little use to us in that aspect. I guess Karma had some silver eco on her when she disappeared. It wouldn't have taken her far, but it took her further away into the city. It was enough to help her escape." Xema clenched her fist.  
  
"Oh great!" Keira groaned, sliding down to the ground. "So we've still got that psycho girl on the loose!"  
  
Xema nodded her head. "Yeah, who knows WHAT she has planned to do next."  
  
Xema bowed her head, upset that all the torment still wasn't over. A small pat on her arm caught her attention, and she glanced up at Daxter.  
  
"That silver eco?" He asked in a whisper, so that Keira and Jak couldn't hear him from across the room. "It wouldn't be able to help ME would it?"  
  
Xema felt her heart sink.  
  
"I wish I could say 'yes' Daxter." She whispered back, placing a hand on his back. "But silver eco doesn't have that kind of power." Xema felt like she could have died after saying that. The heart-broken look on Daxter's face was more than she could bear. "I'm sorry." She whispered, but Daxter just shook his head.  
  
"It's not your fault." He admitted. "I shouldn't have got so hopeful anyway."  
  
"There is something else." Xema admitted, this time loud enough so that Jak and Keira could also hear her. The two glanced up at her.  
  
"There's another type of eco in the mountains, but we were only able to find it once, and we still have no idea what it does. It's much more rarer than silver eco, and my father thinks it's three times as powerful as blue, red or even dark eco.  
  
The three listened intensely to her, waiting to hear about this new type of eco.  
  
"Well?" Daxter asked, hungry for the information.  
  
"Gold eco." Xema announced.  
  
***  
  
"We're still clueless!" The stocky little man announced. "The gold eco has still been a mystery since the day it arrived here. Not even my father, or my father's father's father could figure out what to do with it."  
  
"That's a lot of father's" Daxter teased from his perch on Jak's shoulder. "That means even old Samos wouldn't be able to figure this out. He's still having problems with his green eco!"  
  
The short man peered at Daxter through his thick-rimmed glasses. He was obviously some kind of researcher, trying to work on the mysteries of the gold eco. "GREEN ECO?" He gasped. "Green eco is NOT IMPORTIANT! Who CARES about green eco when we have something as beautiful as: THIS!" He gazed in awe at the small cloud of glowing gold, as if it were more important that anything else in the world. Keira began to feel angered that the man was disrespecting her father's position of honour. Xema was also displeased with the man's reaction.  
  
"Green eco happened to save my LIFE." Xema growled with her arms folded. The man quickly changed his attitude and smiled at the group like an idiot.  
  
"Eh! But what I MEANT to say, was the healing properties of green eco are quite remarkable, and nothing can compare to the power of HEALING! And lets face it, when green eco saves the life of our beautiful, charming princess, it INSTANTLY becomes my favorite eco!" The man spluttered. Daxter couldn't help but laugh. This guy was sucking up to Xema to the max! It almost made him feel jealous in a way. The man was trying to get the approval of HIS girl! But Daxter wanted all of Xema's approval to himself!  
  
"Look four eyes!" Daxter piped in. "All we want to know is if this 'gold eco' has the power to, lets say, reverse the effects of dark eco?"  
  
The man paused for a second, taking in what Daxter said, and then burst out laughing.  
  
"Right! Reverse dark eco? Are you crazy furball?" The man continued to laugh, wheezing loudly. "NOTHING can reverse dark eco! As if we'd waste our time using gold eco for a problem like that!" He continued to chuckle away, as Daxter began to grow hot and red.  
  
"WASTE of TIME? Hey! Maybe if I stuck YOU in a crazy ottsel body, you'd care to rethink that statement!" Daxter jumped off Jak's shoulder and tried to attack the man, but someone picked him up and held him back.  
  
"Let go of me Jak!" Daxter yelled. "I'm gonna teach this guy a piece of my MIND!" The ottsel waved his arms about in the air, trying to punch the guy.  
  
"I'm not Jak." Xema sighed. "Daxter, just ignore him. He's an idiot for saying stuff before he thinks!" Xema glared at the researcher, and he slunk away into the shadows, embarrassed.  
  
"Daxter should know about talking before he thinks." Keira whispered to Jak, and he nodded in agreement, but had to admit he felt sorry for his best friend. Daxter was lying limp in Xema's arms now, exhausted and hurt inside. He was happy to watch Xema stroke the back of his head kindly and hug him gently. At least he had a girl like her to look after him. Xema was a great person, she saw Daxter as more than a furry creature.  
  
She saw him as the boy he was inside.  
  
"Jak? Is it just me, or has it gone very quiet in here?"  
  
Jak glanced around. Keira was right: it WAS quiet. The researcher had disappeared, and the only sound was the sturdy hum of the gold eco as it hovered in the middle of the room. Jak pulled Keira in close to himself to protect her, and was just about to yell out to Xema and Daxter when the worse arrived.  
  
There was that blinding flash of light again. Jak shut his eyes tightly, trying to avoid the light. Daxter was right, that silver eco WAS bright.  
  
He blinked heavily, trying to clear his vision. When he managed to make out solid shapes again, he gasped. The place that Daxter and Xema were standing was now empty.  
  
"What happened?" Keira gasped. A clinking sound behind them caught their attention.  
  
"Sorry I had to do this." The researcher announced, pointing some strange kind of metal, precursor device at the couple. "I just CAN'T have you running back to the king and telling him that Karma's back. Now that he trusts you, I have no other choice."  
  
Then he fired at them, and the two blacked out. 


	10. The Confession

Woo-hoo! I HAVE RETURNED!  
  
Uh, yeppers! Sorry about the late update. Yours truly had an IB art exam a few days ago, so I've been pretty busy working up to that. In any case, here is the finally completed chapter ten. And YES, only TWO left to go after this! *sniff* Yes, unfortunately all (good?) things must come to an end. Once again, many MANY thanks to all of you who are reviewing/continuing to review *sniff* I luv you guys! *Hands out Jak action figures to all who review* Next reviewers for this chapter get Daxter plushies! ;)  
  
*cough* Yeah, so besides a musical theater exam, two art portfolios to finish, graphics assignments and two bursary exams to go, that's all that stands between me and the end of this fic! *faints* Uh, well, ONCE this fic is finished, it'll give moi time to finish mah other two fics (non J&D related) and then I can write another. So I'll start asking people from now until the end of this fic. Would you prefer a sequel to this, or a fic with just the original characters, and not my own (ie Xema and co.) I honestly don't mind if you'd prefer a non-sequel, but I need you to tell me what ya want.  
  
Anyways, keep up the wonderful reviews, and keep at those other J&D fics for those other authors who write about our fave PS2 heroes. You guys rock!  
  
~Keysha  
  
***  
  
Jak and Daxter: Legend of the Lost White City  
  
Chapter Ten: The Confession  
  
Daxter awoke with a splitting headache. What was going on? The last thing he remembered was another one of those blinding silver flashes, and then he was here. But WHERE was he?  
  
The first thing the ottsel realized was that he was in a cage. Unfortunately, his captor wasn't TOO misjudging of the little guy, and the bars were too close together, preventing him from squeezing between the gaps. He was in some kind of darkened room, it kind of reminded Daxter of Xema's bedroom, only slightly larger.  
  
"Where am I?" He called out to thin air, not expecting a reply. Unfortunately for Daxter, he got one.  
  
"In a cavern. On the edge of the city." Came the reply from Karma, sauntering out of the shadows, grinning evilly. "Poor little ottsel, trapped in a cage. If Xema's annoying little friend Chelly saw this, she'd have a fit! Then again, if XEMA saw this, she would be wrapping her fingers around my neck in pure hatred! Boy does that little brat care for you!" She laughed, and then glared at the ottsel. "Xema begged for me to leave you alone, but why should I listen to HER? I'M the older sister; she's supposed to listen to me! But instead, she goes and blabbers to daddy! Well, she's paid for her disobedience now!"  
  
Daxter glared hatred at the girl in front of him.  
  
"WHAT have you done to Xema?" He growled, puffing up his chest and trying to act brave, although deep inside he was scared, and the ottsel in him was trying to tell his brain to run away and hide. But he wasn't an ottsel. He was a boy. One who was standing up for not only himself, but also for the girl he loved. Even if he WAS scared out of his mind.  
  
"Oh, how precious!" Karma teased. "You ARE actually worried about her! Well ottsel, I'll let you in on a little secret: I haven't killed her. Not YET anyway!" She grinned wickedly, and Daxter grabbed the bars of the cage, glaring up at his captor.  
  
"My NAME is DAXTER!" He hissed at the wicked woman. "And if you even TOUCH Xema, I'll make sure you wished you were never BORN!"  
  
"Oh, so much VOIOLENT talk from such a LITTLE creature." Karma reached into the cage and petted Daxter on the head. He responded by biting down hard on her wrist.  
  
"Agh!" Karma cursed, yanking her hand out of the cage, and sending Daxter flying headfirst into the bars, causing his bad headache to turn into a splintering one.  
  
"You little RAT!" Karma hissed, adding a pressured cloth to her bleeding wrist. "Why are you even CONCERNED about Xema? She's just a girl! It's not like she's a potential MATE for you!"  
  
Daxter quirked an eyebrow at Karma. "What?" He asked. "Do you think I was ALWAYS an ottsel?" Karma looked up with interest now, wondering where Daxter's story was going. "I used to be just like Jak and Keira." The ottsel admitted sadly. "But CERTAIN incidents ended up turning me into THIS!" Daxter held out his arms to reveal his skinny ottsel body. He bent his head, as if in shame. "Not even my friends treat me as a person anymore. But your sister." Daxter looked up at Karma, tears forming in his eyes. "Your sister can see past the fur." He felt like an idiot, pouring out his heart to the person who would probably KILL him soon enough, but Daxter was glad he was finally getting all of this off of his chest.  
  
"My sister actually TREATS you like a boy?" Karma sniffed. "That's funny, she never treats ME like a person."  
  
Daxter glared. "What do you expect when you treat her and everyone else like DIRT?" He bowed his head again. "Please Karma. I'm asking a lot from you just by SAYING the magic word." He gulped. "PLEASE don't hurt Xema. She's one of the most important things in this world to me."  
  
He gasped, as he realized what he was about to say.  
  
"I love her."  
  
***  
  
Xema huddled on the stone floor, trying to keep warm. Her feet and hands were bound tightly, causing her wrists and ankles to bleed. Karma had also cut the tips of her wing feathers, preventing her from flying. It would take a long time for new ones to grow back, but Xema doubted she would BE around for the time it took for them to grow back. When Karma had confronted her, she had received a lot of physical and mental abuse. Karma had yelled, scorned, pulled her hair, hit her and even slashed the wound on her arm open again with her own knife. The pain was terrible, but Xema continued to try and ignore it. All she was worried about was Daxter. She was scared Karma would just kill him straight away out of her pure spite for her. It wouldn't take much effort to grab him and break his neck, considering he was so little. Xema shuddered at the thought.  
  
A tiny creek of light caught her eye. Karma had opened the door and entered, carrying something in her arms. Xema's heart skipped a beat as she imagined her sister bringing in the ottsel corpse to wave in front of her. But Karma bent down so that she was eye to eye with her sister. Xema breathed a sigh of relief as she sat up, Daxter was in her arms and still alive, although his hind and front paws were all bonded up like her own hands and feet.  
  
"Daxter." Xema gasped, almost shocked as Karma slipped the tiny creature into her arms. Although Xema couldn't hold him properly, she managed to slide him into a comfortable position, and she rubbed her cheek on the top of his head, feeling the tears creep up in her eyes again. She glanced up at her sister, who was glaring down at them. "Why?" Xema whispered, Karma stared down at her little sister, that heartless look still plastered on her face.  
  
"Because I hate you. I hate him. I hate everyone! There's nothing worth living for. Some days I wonder if it was even worth me being born, father has YOU, so why does he even CARE that I'm alive!" She looked down at Daxter. "At least you have him Xema, and I hate you both for that." She turned around to leave. "Sleep well you two, this will be your last night together."  
  
***  
  
Daxter rubbed at his sore wrists. Karma may have not underestimated him when he was in the cage, but tying him up with rope was not a very good idea. It hadn't taken him long to knaw through the bonding, and after attempting to undo the tight knots on Xema's wrists, he gave in and simply bit into them as well.  
  
"Thanks." Xema breathed a sigh of relief, attending to the rope on her ankles as Daxter continued to rub at his wrists.  
  
"No problem baby!" Daxter looked up at her and grinned. "Well, we've got no problems escaping from here." He pointed to a small window above their heads. "It's little, but even you can fit through that Xema. We'll just fly out of here, tell your dad, and bust your sister! She's gonna PAY for what she's done to you!" Daxter clenched his fist angrily, but Xema looked doubtful.  
  
"I can't fly." She admitted. Daxter felt his jaw drop like a lead weight.  
  
"WHAT! Why Xema?" He asked, confused.  
  
Xema bent down to Daxter's height (Well, close to it anyway), and indicated to the tips of her feathered wings, which appeared to have been hacked at with a pair of sharp scissors.  
  
"Karma cut my wings. Until they grow back, I can't fly."  
  
"How long will it take them to grow back?" Asked Daxter rather stupidly.  
  
"At least three months." Xema admitted. Daxter collapsed in exasperation.  
  
"Then we're done for!" He groaned from his position on the floor. Xema shook her head and picked up the little ottsel from the cold floor. His fur was icy cold, and Xema shivered as she realized just how cold it really was. She gazed out at the starry sky. Of course, it was night. No wonder it was cold.  
  
"Listen, we have to sneak out of here." Xema pleaded. "We CAN do it Daxter, if we work together." She smiled at him. "Willing to go and kick Karma's butt?"  
  
Daxter couldn't think of anything else he'd rather enjoy doing.  
  
***  
  
Jak wasn't surprised to find himself tied up when he awoke. Keira was lying beside him, still unconscious. Jak felt like his head was about to explode, that thing the mad researcher had hit him with had felt like someone had placed his head against a rock and bashed at him with a stone. The sound of feet smacking against the floor brought him back to reality.  
  
"Ah, the boy FINALLY awakes." The researcher teased. He had removed his glasses, and seemed more intimidating then he first had, at least that's what Jak thought. "You and your friend are QUITE fascinating!" He explained, studying Jak carefully. "No wings? I've never seen anything like it. You're not from the city are you?" He kept questioning Jak, but refused to wait for an answer. Jak didn't care that much, he wasn't in the mood for answering anyone's questions right now. In fact, he just wanted some of his OWN questions answered.  
  
"Perhaps my theories are TRUE then!" The man thought out loud. "Maybe the silver eco in this city HAS caused us to evolve with wings!" He spread out his own set of feathered wings. Like him, they were short and dumpy.  
  
"Why?" Jak asked, practically wordless, but his question did ask a lot. To his surprise, the researcher bowed before him.  
  
"I'm just serving my princess Karma." He explained to Jak. "My only wish was to study you two children, Karma promised to deliver you two to me, as long as I allowed her to take Xema away." He grinned. "The opportunity to study children who have evolved without wings? How could I say 'NO?"  
  
Jak's heart was racing. "What, what will you do?" He tried to ask. The researcher shrugged, completely unsure.  
  
"Oh, I'll run tests, study, dissect perhaps."  
  
'DISSECT?' Jak gulped. The idea of being cut open didn't please him. The researcher caught sight of his shocked face and laughed.  
  
"Oh don't worry." He turned towards Jak. "I'll kill you first. I don't want you squirming around while I examine your liver!"  
  
BONK!  
  
And then, without warning, the researcher slid to the ground, unconscious.  
  
Jak watched the man slide to the ground, knocked out, possibly because of the large bump on his head, where something, or someONE had hit him on the head.  
  
Jak looked up, and there was Daxter, still poised on the shelf in the position he had finished in when he had smashed the man on the head with a large wrench. Who KNEW that the little ottsel could pack such a punch? Even with the aid of a large, metallic object. The orange furball looked up at Jak and grinned.  
  
"Hey buddy! Happy to see me?"  
  
"Daxter!" Jak cried in disbelief and excitement. He had never been so happy to see his little furry friend before. Jak felt a tug on the ropes restraining his wrists, and when he turned around, he saw Xema, just finishing on the knot, smiling. Jak noticed her hacked up wings, and he knew that there was no way she would be flying for along time to come.  
  
"Hi Jak!" She greeted him. "Sorry it took so long, Karma had us a little tied up."  
  
Jak stood up, and started working on the ropes on Keira, who was still knocked out.  
  
"We have to hurry!" Xema insisted. "Karma may be close!"  
  
"Closer than you think!" Karma hissed as she appeared at the doorway.  
  
"Oh GREAT! Here's the witch herself!" Daxter groaned. "Where do you keep COMING from? You're worse than Gol and Maia!  
  
"Xema? You're such a DISSOBEDIANT little girl! Are your annoying little friends encouraging you to do this?" Karma turned towards Daxter, and hissed at him like a snake. The ottsel wasted no time in running from the shelf, and onto the safety of Xema's shoulder. Karma rolled her eyes at the scene.  
  
"You two are so pathetic!" She whined. "Well, at least I have the honour of killing all four of you, now that the IDIOT can't even handle a little furball!" She glared at the unconscious man on the floor. "I wonder who I'll take down first?" She produced into sight, a long silver knife. Much larger than the one the guard had used against Xema and Daxter. "Maybe the rat first? It would be so nice to watch Xema suffer while he bleeds!"  
  
The room leapt into a phase of chaos. Daxter jumped from Xema's shoulder and hastily climbed onto the top shelf of a book stacker, feeling safe. But Karma gleefully spread her wings, and attempted to fly up to the ottsel. Jak immediately grabbed her ankles and prevented her from becoming airborne. In response, Karma took a swipe at Jak with the knife. It failed to hurt him to a great extent, but it did graze his cheek, and leave a small cut. Jak let go of her ankles in shock, and Karma took off into the air, crashing into the wall from the force created by her escape.  
  
"Daxter!" Xema cried, holding out her arms. The ottsel sprang off of the shelf, and landed gently in Xema's outstretched arms. Xema then ran for her life, out of the door, with Karma screaming bloody murder behind them as she flew out the door in hot pursuit.  
  
"Wait!" Jak cried as they disappeared from sight. They would NEVER escape Karma when she had the advantage of flight. He wanted to chase after them and help, but what was he supposed to do when Keira was still unconscious and tied up? He couldn't just leave her.  
  
'It's all up to Xema now.' He thought, as he raced over to Keira's side.  
  
***  
  
Xema had no problem escaping the researcher's building, however, she had the advantage inside the building, as karma's flight was slightly paralyzed with the narrow hallways. As soon as Xema ran into the open outside, she realized her mistake. It was too late to go back inside, so she tried to hide in the night shadows, but even that failed to work.  
  
"You're not a chameleon Xema, don't think you can get away THAT easily!"  
  
Xema cursed from the shadows as she continued to run, but seconds later, she felt an evil presence creep up on her and Daxter, and before she could get out of the way, she felt Karma's icy touch as she grabbed her by the waist and hurled her and Daxter into the night's sky.  
  
Daxter clung hold of Xema as she wriggled with all her might, trying to escape, but as they climbed up into the air, Xema began to give up. She had never been afraid of being so high before, but now that she didn't have working wings anymore, the air wasn't so inviting anymore. Xema had no doubt what Karma was going to do.  
  
She was going to drop them from high up in the air. She was going to let them fall to their death.  
  
Xema hugged the shivering Daxter closer to herself as they continued to climb in the air.  
  
"Xema." He whispered. "What's going to happen?"  
  
Xema felt the tears well up in her eyes again. "I'm, I'm sorry Daxter." She felt a tear roll down her cheek. It landed on Daxter's furry arm, and he looked up at her in shock. "I'm sorry I got you involved in all of this. I'm sorry for everything." She continued to cry. "I'm sorry I even met you. If I hadn't gone to your village in the first place, I wouldn't have got you, or Keira or Jak involved in all of this!"  
  
Karma rolled her eyes. "Oh please!" She chocked.  
  
Daxter ignored her, still fixated on the tearful Xema. "No." He pleaded. "You're the only person who really CARES about me Xema!" He buried his face into his shoulder, and soon, found that he was crying too. If he had any smart comments to make, they were all gone now. Which he felt was a real shame, as nothing would have pleased him more than to insult Karma, and make Xema laugh in the process.  
  
Karma was repulsed by this display of affection. "Almost ready for the fall?" She teased them, still climbing.  
  
Karma's words flew past Xema and Daxter. Xema held his little furry head in her hand and looked down at him with watery eyes.  
  
"Xema? I love you." Daxter whispered to her.  
  
He didn't know what to expect from that. This would have never been the situation in which he expected to deliver those words, but they were about to die. He NEEDED to tell her before he fell. He needed to let her know, even if it meant nothing to her, at least had the courage to admit it. But Xema smiled, and kissed him on the cheek.  
  
"I love you to." Came the whispered reply.  
  
And then, Karma let go. 


	11. The Choice

Well, this chapter has gone up as quickly as I could post it. Sorry if the wait has been really bad for some of you (rolls her eyes). I dunno why, but cliffhangers seem to be my thing. Besides, they encourage others to read more of your story. But yes, I KNOW how annoying they are.  
  
Hmmm, interesting theories Vulpix, but unfortunately, not the intentional idea. How did it end? Read on and find out. I had most of the main theories plotted before I even started chapter one, but you defiantly helped me out a bit back with that incident with the guard. *blush* thank chu!  
  
Anyways, I hope this chapter satisfies. It's not INCREDEABLY long, but I didn't leave a HUGE cliffhanger on the end. Happy? In any case, keep the lovely reviews coming! *hugs all her wonderful reviewers* Chu guys and gals ROCK! Keep up with the suggestions on a sequel involving Xema or a non- Xema involved one. I'm glad to see that a lot of you like her! ( But in any case, keep 'em coming. You may have noticed I gave a one chapter 'Jak and Daxter' fic a go. Please review that too if you get a chance folks!  
  
There's a little chapter dedication here. This one's for: Phoe-chan, the wonderful author of the Jak and Daxter story 'Secrets of the White Eco'. I absolutely love your story. Peoples, if you haven't read it already, you MUST go check it out! After you read and review this one of course! ;)  
  
So until the final chapter! *sob*  
  
~ Keysha  
  
***  
  
Jak and Daxter: Legend of the Lost White City  
  
Chapter Eleven: The Choice  
  
Nothing happened for exactly three seconds. Daxter wasn't even sure if they actually began to drop. As soon as Xema had spoken, their world had become a blinding swirl of colours. It was only as Daxter's eyes adjusted to the glare, that he realized it was coming from the dome surrounding the city. They were right beside the top of the dome, Karma had flown so high up she hadn't even realized.  
  
It seemed to be splitting, no, MELTING away. From the top centre of the dome down. Daxter watched in amazement as it disappeared before his eyes, he was so shocked that he failed to notice time had halted. Both he and Xema were suspended just a few meters below Karma. Karma too, was hovering in the air, despite the fact that her wings weren't moving.  
  
And then, the dome surrounding the city was gone. The final crystal surface disappeared into the earth forever, and the city's curse was broken.  
  
Daxter felt his stomach lurch as both he and Xema began to plummet. Time had started up again. Their freefall was speeding up, and Daxter glared hatefully up at the quickly fading Karma, who was waving goodbye to them as they fell, a huge smirk spread across her face.  
  
"I'll kill her!" Daxter growled, completely forgetting that in a few seconds, HE would be the dead one.  
  
"Calm down!" Xema insisted, glancing down at the ground, rushing up to them at an incredible speed. "I wonder?" She asked herself.  
  
"Wonder WHAT?" Daxter asked, just getting a full view of the blurry ground. He then began to scream, and wouldn't stop.  
  
Xema clung tight to Daxter, her hacked wings fluttering uselessly in the rushing air as they plummeted. "Trust me." She insisted to Daxter.  
  
There was a bright flash of light, and Daxter blacked out.  
  
***  
  
"Sire?"  
  
There was a pause as Draco stood up. "Yes?" He enquired.  
  
The guard before him bowed low. "Sir, we've retrieved your eldest daughter, but there seems to be no sign of Xema anywhere."  
  
Draco stiffened slightly. "This is not good news." He muttered to himself, before turning back to the guard. "Bring Karma here!"  
  
In a matter of seconds, Karma was before her father, looking beaten and exhausted, but pleased with herself nonetheless. Draco knew that this was DEFINATLY not a good sign.  
  
"Karma?" He asked, the girl raised her eyesight up towards him. "Where's Xema?" Draco asked her sternly. Karma just smirked.  
  
"WHERE is she?" Draco repeated, his voice getting tense.  
  
"She just fell out of my reach." Karma hissed happily.  
  
Draco spun around at the sound of a large bang coming from his right. It was Jak and Keira, both now fully awake, marching towards him. The sight of Karma in custody was somewhat relieving to them, but when they noticed the absence of Daxter and Xema, they realized things maybe weren't shaping up to be that great after all.  
  
"Where's Daxter? And Xema?" Keira enquired. Draco turned his attention back to his daughter, still looking extremely pleased with herself.  
  
"We were hoping KARMA could tell us that!" He hissed. Karma looked up at Jak and Keira, still smirking.  
  
"Like I said before." She chuckled. "They fell out of my reach."  
  
"YOU DROPPED THEM?" Jak cried, enraged. Karma nodded, still grinning.  
  
"Well, that doesn't sound like a problem." Draco interrupted. "Xema has wings, she could have flown away."  
  
Jak shook his head furiously, trying to indicate to Draco that the plot was a lot thicker than that. However, Draco's attention was on other matters, perhaps the figures of Daxter and Xema entering the room. He instantly left his position in front of Karma, and rushed to his youngest Daughter, while Daxter grinned up at Jak and Keira.  
  
"How, HOW did you survive?" Keira stuttered at the ottsel. Daxter just waved his paw in the air.  
  
"Piece of cake!" The ottsel insisted.  
  
"Yes." Karma hissed. Her expression had changed from a startled one, to an angry glare. "HOW did you survive?"  
  
Xema looked up at her older sister and grinned, revealing a small sliver glow in the palm of her hand.  
  
"Silver eco." The girl insisted. "You didn't think you were the ONLY one who had some on hand did you Karma?"  
  
"Xema, WHAT happened to your wings?" Draco questioned, holding up a tattered clump of half cut feathers. Xema glared at her sister.  
  
"Karma happened, that's what!" Xema growled. Draco also sent an angry look to the girl, still restrained by guards.  
  
"Xema? Would you and your friends mind leaving the room for a few minutes? I need to decide how I'm going to punish Karma, and what I'm going to do with her AFTERWARDS!"  
  
For the first time since they had met her, Jak was SURE he saw fear in Karma's eyes, but his gaze was soon distracted when Keira began pushing him out of the room.  
  
Xema walked over to Daxter, who was calmly waiting for her. "I WOULD tell your father to go easy on her." Daxter insisted as Xema picked him up. "But for SOME strange reason, I don't WANT to!"  
  
Xema smiled and nuzzled her cheek against his head. As she left the room, Daxter peeked over her shoulder, and caught Karma's eye. He stuck his tongue out at her, before turning around and nuzzling himself against Xema's shoulder.  
  
Revenge was sweet.  
  
***  
  
It wasn't until late that evening that Xema's father approached her. Xema didn't ask him about Karma, and Draco never mentioned her. Xema knew banishment would have probably been her punishment. Having her wings hacked would have also been another. But Xema never wanted to even MENTION her sister's name again, so she never asked.  
  
"Tell me Xema?" Draco finally asked, as the two of them gazed out over the city. It looked more beautiful than it ever had before. "How did you break the curse? All this time, there was a boy right under our noses. Who is he? I've never seen him about."  
  
Xema smiled, looking down at her hands as she refused to make eye contact with her father. "Let's just say, appearances can be deceiving." She explained. Draco nodded in understanding.  
  
"The ottsel?" He asked. Xema looked up in shock.  
  
"How did you know?" She asked surprised, then smiling, added. "His name is Daxter."  
  
Draco smiled. "I put two and two together. He brought Xema in close and hugged her. "I've never been so proud of you Xema!" He insisted, looking down at her. "You've proved that one day, you'll make a great queen."  
  
Xema sighed. "I know I can't ignore my duties." She looked down, slightly embarrassed. "But I really don't want to hang around here. I have too many bad memories of this place. Karma's betrayal, mother's death." She blushed. "Daxter and the others have invited me to go and stay with them in their village. It's beside the sea father. Do you have any idea how beautiful the sea is?" She paused. "I know you don't like the idea of me leaving."  
  
"It's fine with me!" Draco insisted, smiling. "Besides, both your mother and I always believed you should be near the ones you love."  
  
Xema rubbed the back of her neck nervously. "Yeah, poor Daxter." She sighed, imagining the little ottsel. "If only there was some way we could help him. He doesn't deserve to live his life the way it is. I know he feels uncomfortable around me sometimes, the differences and all."  
  
Draco smiled, taking Xema by the hand as he led her into the air. She clung hold of him as he carried her, the wings on her back being absolutely useless to her.  
  
"Come with me, I think I know a way to help." Draco insisted.  
  
***  
  
"Chelly? What's going on?" Xema asked her close friend. The young woman shook her head, her dark hair swaying gently.  
  
"I'm not quite sure. I've been working on this project for a while, but it's only in its experimental stages at the moment."  
  
"What kind of project are we talking about?" Xema asked with a puzzled look on her face, but Chelly's answer was cut short when Draco reappeared with a strange character by his side.  
  
His name was Xi, a withered old man - much like Samos, except what Samos lacked in height, Xi made up for. His long, gray beard was woven in twists with a strange collection of beads and feathers, plus a shell or two. This seemed impossible too most, because no one asides Xema and some of the guards had had the ability to leave the city and travel anywhere near the beach, where shells were plentiful. Some thought it was an indication that he had been around before the city was cursed. Which meant he would have to be thousands of years old. This was true, the man was ancient, and it was all thanks to his own experimental potions and such. The man was a witch doctor, and a good one at that. Although he WAS a bit crazy. His arrival did not please Xema much, nor did it help the uneasy feeling she felt in her stomach disappear.  
  
"Uh, WHY is Xi here?" Xema asked nervously. Draco placed a hand on the old man's shoulder.  
  
"He's here because he has something that may help you and Daxter." Draco explained. Xema felt her knees go weak.  
  
"Look!" She started. "I understand that you all want to help. Believe me, I know Daxter is willing to do almost ANYTHING to return him to his previous form. But taking witch doctor mumbo-jumbo is NOT one of the options I want to throw at him!" Her breath caught in her throat. "I've seen what's happened to OTHERS who have drunk your 'creations' Xi. No offence, but you still need some work on your reversal spells."  
  
Xi chuckled lightly. "It's not a reversal spell." He croaked in his tired, withered voice, holding out a small bottle to the girl. Cautiously, Xema removed it from his hand. It contained a bright red liquid, close to that of molten lava. Xema shuddered, for all she knew it WAS molten lava. It did not, however, feel hot. In fact, the bottle, and its contents, were icy cold. The young girl looked up at her audience.  
  
"What is this?" She asked. The trio looked at each other, before Draco stepped forward and led his daughter out of Xi and Chelly's hearing range. He sighed, placed his hands on her shoulders, and looked her dead in the eyes.  
  
"When it's my time to step down from my reign, I want you to promise you'll come home." He pulled her in for a hug. "Xema, what ever you decide to do, I'll just be happy to know you're safe." He pulled her away again so he could look her in the eyes again. Xema just shook her head.  
  
"I don't understand." She admitted. Draco smiled.  
  
"The potion is not for Daxter." He admitted. "It's for you." He looked up again and smiled awkwardly. "It's your decision Xema." And then he left.  
  
Xema stood awkwardly, not sure WHAT to do. She caressed the small bottle in her palm and gazed down at its inviting red glow. Now what? She sighed as she made her final decision. 


	12. The Departure

*sighs* well, here it is folks. After almost two NZ School terms of hard core typing and hiring of the game, here is the final chapter.  
  
Hey, it's been fun. I have not only had the chance to improve my creative writing, but I've met some very talented, not to mention incredibly friendly people who have reviewed my work and sent me emails/pics. I cannot begin to thank you all. This has been the most successful of all of my fics over the eight months since I arrived at fanfiction.net, but it's the people who read and enjoy the fics that have really helped this fic get to where it is today. You all deserve a pat on the back just for being the kewl people that you are! *begins to throw out Plush toys and copies of the game*  
  
I honestly want to encourage everyone who is still in the process of writing their fics to keep at it! I love EVERY SINGLE fic in this Jak and Daxter section, and I really want more! (Yes, I'm a greedy one, just bear with it!) I have a list of thank u's, but I'll leave them till after the fic, so that I can stop blubbering, and finally let u read the last chapter.  
  
So, without any more delay, here is the very last chapter of: 'Jak and Daxter: Legend of the Lost White City'.  
  
~ Keysha  
  
***  
  
Jak and Daxter: Legend of the Lost White City  
  
Chapter Twelve: The Departure  
  
"Xema?" Daxter looked into her pale blue eyes, waiting for an answer. Xema sighed and closed her eyes, resting her head on the soft pillow. Her bed was so warm and inviting. That was one thing she was going to miss when she left home. Her bed, the soft, safe haven that she spent half of her life in (Xema had a thing about lying in bed in the mornings) she would have to leave it behind.  
  
"Xema? Are you listening to me?" Daxter waved his paw in front of her closed eyes. "Are you sleeping?" Xema giggled slightly.  
  
"No Daxter, just enjoying the morning." Came her muffled reply from beneath the blankets she was sinking into.  
  
"How can you call this enjoying the morning? You're INSIDE and the morning is OUTSIDE!" Daxter nudged at her shoulder, and she lightly slapped his paw away from her.  
  
"Look, I like my bed, do you have a problem with that?"  
  
Daxter laughed and shook his head. "No, actually I like my bed too. Even though it's a bit too big for me now."  
  
Xema peeked her head out from under the covers she had now cocooned herself in. "You don't say?" She teased. Daxter made a tiny growling sound and dived at her, wrapping his arms around her neck and hugging her tightly. She smiled to herself and looked Daxter in the eyes. "I love you." She whispered into his furry ear.  
  
Daxter looked down at her. Xema was ever so slightly smaller than he was. Not by much, but generally, female ottsels were a bit smaller than the males. Xema had made a difficult choice to become an ottsel herself, and even though she always had the option of returning to her somewhat humanoid self, it was still a large sacrifice that she had made, simply because she cared for him.  
  
Daxter smiled at the dusty ginger ottsel in his arms, and ran his fingers through her tiny fringe. She defiantly looked as he had imagined her in ottsel form. She had pretty much the same as appearance as he did, although with a more feminine look. Her fur was lighter than his, and her eyes bluer. What Daxter particularly liked was the small, cream-coloured 'wings' on her back. Patterned in her fur like the stripes on his arms. They were the only things that indicated she could once fly. She still wore her leather strap and purple goggles on her head, and the gold, precursor-engraved band on her left arm.  
  
"Won't you miss the flying?" He asked the ottsel, which had now escaped his grip and was burrowing through the blankets and pillows again.  
  
"Of course!" Xema called out from under a pile of pillows. "I've been doing it all my life, it's like how you've been walking since the day you learnt to, only I've been doing it in the air instead of on the ground."  
  
Daxter rubbed his arm nervously. He still felt guilty for being the reason she had taken that witch doctor mumbo-jumbo. "Hey Xema, you don't have to do this ya know. You can still change back before we leave."  
  
Xema peeked her head out again, so close to his face that their little black noses touched. "Why?" She cocked her head slightly. "I didn't just make my decision because I decided to call it a whim." Xema buried her face under the covers. "I did it because I care for you Daxter. Until the day we find a way to change you back, I'm going to stay like this."  
  
Daxter was heartfelt. As far as he knew, NO ONE had cared for him this much. He tried to find Xema, but she had escaped into the sheets again. Daxter caught sight of the tip of her tail sticking out from one end of the blankets. He gently took hold of it and pulled her out from the warm shelter of blankets.  
  
"Hey!" Xema half yelled, half giggled. Daxter pulled her up to her feet and held her loosely in his arms, gazing into her eyes. Xema smiled and returned the gaze. "This is so unlike you Daxter." She giggled.  
  
"Are you SURE you don't want to change back?" He asked her. She grinned, rubbed her short ottsel muzzle beside his cheek and shook her head slightly.  
  
"I'm sure." She insisted. Before scratching a sore spot on her arm. "I just think it's gonna take a while to get used to the fur. It really itches!"  
  
Daxter grinned as he was suddenly reminded of the spot behind his ears that was, as usual, demanding his attention. "Trust me Xema, I've been an ottsel for a long time now, and I'm STILL not used to the fur!" He said as he began attacking the area with his claws.  
  
***  
  
"Are you going to be alright?" Xema looked up at her father from her perch on the table. He looked down at her and smiled.  
  
"Yes. It will be lonely around here without you. But I've got a kingdom to run. I'll manage."  
  
Xema laughed and walked over to the edge of the table. "I'll miss you father." She admitted. He cocked an eyebrow at her.  
  
"Really? After all those times you ran away? Now that you're ALLOWED to go, you admit that you're going to MISS me?" He looked down at the little ottsel, who had a rather sheepish look on her face. He laughed, and grabbed her.  
  
"NO!" Xema pleaded as Draco hugged her tightly. "I'm smaller now father! You're gonna crush my ribs!" Xema gasped breathlessly. Draco loosened his grip and allowed Xema to go limp in his grasp.  
  
"Sorry." He apologized, blushing slightly. I'm just used to giving you strong bear hugs. I haven't held anything so tiny and fragile since you were a baby."  
  
Xema raised her head and smiled as she sat back in her father's arms. She DID feel like a little child, looking up at the large man holding her effortlessly in his arms. Xema nuzzled her cheek on his shoulder as she felt a tear roll down her furry face. Draco stroked the fur on her back gently, enjoying the last few moments with his daughter.  
  
"I've never been more proud of you Xema." He admitted.  
  
"Because I broke the curse on the city?" She asked curiously. Draco shook his head.  
  
"No. Because of the decision you made. This choice you've made about going off and living your own life far away from home. How brave you are to chose to live like this." He indicated to her furry ottsel form and laughed slightly. "All I can say is, this boy better appreciate what you've done for him."  
  
"Believe me big guy, I do!"  
  
Draco spun around and caught sight of the small orange ottsel entering the room. "Ah, speak of the ottsel." He cocked. Daxter raised his eyebrows at the man as he jumped up onto the table beside Draco.  
  
"What happened to 'boy' huh? I miss getting called that!" Daxter folded his arms and pouted. Xema had to try hard to keep her mouth shut. He looked just like a spoilt little kid standing there in that position. She was scared she'd insult him if she said something without thinking.  
  
"Oh Daxter, we know you're a boy." Xema jumped down from her father's arms onto the table, and wrapped her arms around him, burying her face into his shoulder. Daxter returned the hug, looking up at Draco with an extremely cocky expression on his face.  
  
"Looks like I got the girl." He teased, running a paw through Xema's fringe. Her body shook slightly as she giggled from her half-buried position on his shoulder. Draco looked down at the couple joyfully. He had never seen his daughter so happy before; such a sight warmed his heart.  
  
"Well, of all the boys, I'm glad Xema chose you out of the lot." Draco admitted. Daxter glanced up at him with a surprised look on his face.  
  
"Why Draco? Why, why, WHY can't Samos be more like YOU?" Daxter rolled his eyes. "You're one of the ONLY people who can fully see my potential!"  
  
"Yeah, potential to be a real pain in the butt!" Keira teased as her and Jak entered the room.  
  
Daxter glared at her. "Critics." He muttered, releasing Xema from his hug. "Say goodbye to daddy Xema. We're leaving soon."  
  
The ginger ottsel turned back to the man beside her. Whatever strong stance he had taken earlier had completely vanished now. He looked like he was about to break down into a flood of tears. Draco placed a large hand on Xema's tiny shoulder and smiled through his wet eyes.  
  
"I WILL see you in the near future." He insisted. "When your time here soon approaches."  
  
Xema nodded. "Until then." She insisted. "I'm sticking with Daxter. I want to do everything I can to help him turn back." She reached out and took Daxter's paw in hers. The orange ottsel smiled down at their digits laced together, and Xema nuzzled her cheek on his shoulder.  
  
"Okay you two! Break it up!" Keira insisted, stepping up to the table and putting a hand between them. Xema was rather shocked at Keira's response, but Daxter rolled his eyes, understanding what was going on. 'Revenge', the ottsel thought through clenched teeth as he growled.  
  
"Yeah." Jak said, backing up Keira, and looking at Daxter, giving a wink that only the ottsel noticed. "Put it on ice!"  
  
***  
  
Jak enjoyed his final trip in the air. Granted, until they either found a way to turn Daxter back to his previous form, or if Xema's father called her for urgent matters, they wouldn't be returning to the city for quite some time.  
  
Keira also seemed to be enjoying her last air voyage. "Maybe I should fit the A-GraV Zoomer with some silver eco and make it fly." She suggested to Jak. "I'm going to miss this feeling!" He nodded in agreement. Gazing at the last guard in their party of three. He was carrying Daxter and Xema, although it was more like carrying Xema, and letting Daxter run around on his back. The expression on the guard's face was calm, but Jak could tell he was getting sick of the ottsel's journey to and from his feet and head.  
  
"Daxter!" Xema laughed. "Stop doing that! You'll fall off!"  
  
Daxter grinned at her. "Baby, I'm an agile creature! My sense of balance is impeccable. There's NO WAY I'd fall!"  
  
As if on cue, the updraft the guard had been gliding on changed, and he was forced to adjust his position. Unfortunately, this was a bit too quick for Daxter. His arms flailed, and he completely lost his balance from the guard's back, falling into the sky.  
  
"Daxter!" Jak cried in alarm, but quickly saw that the ottsel had not fallen straight down. Rather, he had fallen a few centimeters, and was now dangling upside down in the air. Xema had shot up on the guard's back and grabbed him by the tail.  
  
"Okay, I'll stop it now." Daxter whimpered, his face pale as the ice on Snowy Mountain. The group laughed as Xema hauled the ottsel back onto his feet and hugged him comfortingly.  
  
"How did I ever get through life with out you?" Daxter asked her nervously.  
  
"How did you ever SURVIVE life without her?" Keira asked him sarcastically, giving Jak a noticeable wink.  
  
***  
  
Samos was not happy about the kids return. Not because they themselves were back (Samos WAS a little Displeased when Daxter showed up and addressed him as 'old green stump'), but because they had failed to turn on any portal in the city, or anywhere NEAR it for that matter.  
  
"Daddy, there ARE no portals in the city!" Keira tried to explain to her father. "The only way to get there is by AIR!"  
  
"Rubbish!" The sage scoffed. "I think you were all too lazy to even LOOK!"  
  
"And so, he begins talking about the place like he's BEEN there!" Daxter mocked. Samos's reply was a sharp whack on the ottsel's head with his stick.  
  
"He's very insensitive isn't he?" Xema whispered in Daxter's ear as he rubbed his bruised head. Samos turned and caught sight of the new ottsel for the first time.  
  
"What is THIS?" He asked poking at Xema's shoulder with the edge of his stick, Daxter slapped it away, possibly more insulted than Xema was.  
  
"SHE is Xema!" The ottsel corrected the shocked sage. "SHE also happens to be my girlfriend!" Daxter said this with such pride he was almost bursting. Jak, Keira and Xema were just trying hard not to laugh. Samos cocked an eyebrow at Xema.  
  
"You mean you actually found another furball? More than that, one that likes you?" Samos quipped. Daxter growled and tried to argue more, but Xema placed a paw over his lips and whispered in Daxter's ear.  
  
"Don't waste your breath Dax. He's not worth it!"  
  
Samos's face lost some of its colour. "Not WORTH it?" He echoed, spluttering. "What do you MEAN I'm not WORTH it you little rat?"  
  
Keira laughed as Jak whispered to her: "Looks like Samos has found someone ELSE to pick on besides Daxter."  
  
"Daddy. I think Jak and I better explain what's going on." She turned to the two ottsels. Daxter had his paws clenched, as if he was ready to fight Samos. Xema just rolled her eyes and stared on, with an expression that may have been disbelief.  
  
"Daxter, why don't you show Xema around?" Keira suggested, as she and Jak lead Samos away. Daxter grinned.  
  
"Great! I'll show you the bedroom!" He grinned. Xema gave him a little push, not knocking him over, but just causing him to teeter slightly.  
  
"Don't push your luck fuzzy face!" She teased. Daxter raised his eyebrows in question.  
  
"Fuzz face?" He echoed. "Look who's talking ya furry bird!"  
  
This time, Xema DID push him over. Daxter lay on his back, gazing up at her as she looked down on him. "DON'T mess with me Daxter! You better watch what you say, you're a real loudmouth!"  
  
"I thought you LIKED that in your boys?" He teased.  
  
She smiled. "Yeah, lucky for you huh?"  
  
***  
  
Daxter gazed out over the ocean. In the distance, he could just make out the shadowy outline of Misty Island. He shivered slightly as bad memories of that place came back to haunt him.  
  
"I hate this place." He admitted to Xema. She sat beside him, gazing out at the sunset.  
  
"I like it. It's the same spot where we made up." She gazed up at the trees swaying above their heads. "It also happens to be the first place we met face to face." She gave him a nervous glance. "If you don't count the time we 'met' in the jungle."  
  
Daxter laughed.  
  
"Yeah, you could say I FELL head over heels for you then?" He sniggered at his pathetic joke, where as Xema just rolled her eyes.  
  
"I just hate this place because I can see THAT!" He indicated to the island off in the distance. "That was the place where I.." He trailed off, looking down at his furry paws. Xema placed a hand on his shoulder.  
  
"We WILL find a way to change you back Daxter." She insisted. "Perhaps this door at the Citadel that you and Jak keep talking about?"  
  
Daxter nodded his head. "Maybe. But look at YOU! I mean, you only need to go back to your dad and he'll change you back! I wish that stuff would work on ME too!"  
  
Xema shook her head. "So do I, but no one knows how to reverse dark eco." Daxter's head fell again, and Xema hugged him. "But I'm always here for you Daxter, and until we find a way to help you, I'm staying a 'furry bird?" She winked at him, and he cheered up somewhat, pulling her in for a tight hug.  
  
"You know, I understand what that girl was talking about now." Daxter admitted. Xema looked confused.  
  
"What girl?" She tensed slightly. "Daxter, is there someone else?" She asked sternly. Daxter shook his head rather violently.  
  
"Of course not!" He laughed. He was referring to that strange dream he had once had. "Just a dream."  
  
So THIS is what the girl meant. Maybe he hadn't been changed back into his previous form, but XEMA had chosen to become the same creature as he was. Daxter looked down and smiled. For once HE was the one holding Xema in his arms, and not vice versa. So THIS is what it felt like. Warm and comforting. She nuzzled her head into his furry chest, and Daxter felt, for the first time in ages, truly loved.  
  
"Can we stop time?" Xema asked him. He sighed, wishing he had that ability.  
  
"Maybe gold eco could do that?" He suggested, Xema pulled back slightly and looked him in the eyes.  
  
"You think it COULD?" She asked, but then smiled and shook her head. "No, it wouldn't be able to."  
  
"Why not?" Daxter asked.  
  
"Because." Xema whispered. "I want it to reverse dark eco effects! And when I WANT something, I GET it!" She nuzzled her face against his. "Any objections?"  
  
Daxter laughed.  
  
"Nah, just as long as I get what I want." He thought back to the time where Xema had kissed him on the cheek. "Have I behaved myself?"  
  
Xema smiled. "Yeah, more than I ever though you could."  
  
Daxter didn't say much after that. He leant in towards Xema and placed his furry lips against hers. Maybe he may never find a way to reverse the dark eco effect, but he really didn't care as much any more. He had Xema now, and if kissing her at every opportunity was going to be as good as it was right now, then he knew his life would be satisfactory.  
  
"I love you." He whispered to her as they pulled away, and she smiled, nuzzling her cheek on his shoulder. She didn't need to reply.  
  
He already knew the answer.  
  
***  
  
THE END!  
  
***  
  
Well, now that it's FINALLY out of my system, I think I need to explain a few things.  
  
First, YES that potion-type thing Xema took is reversible. I was actually going to explain this in the last chapter, but I wanted to keep the final story twist until the last chapter. I thought I was being cunning (after the silver eco thing - man I fooled you guys! ;) ) But most of you guessed the plot at the end of the last chapter anyway (LOL). But anyways, by the time I finished typing this chapter, I realized there was no place where I could really fit it into the plot properly anymore (originally: Xema, Draco and Daxter had a big talk about it). Why did I decide this? Maybe I want to use it as part of the new story plot, maybe for another reason. I'm not telling.  
  
Second, Yes, I've decided to do a sequel. It's what nearly all of you want. A lot of you said you really wanted to see Xema again and *sniff* I'm honored. I'll be bringing her back again, along with Draco for a short amount of time, plus a new character or two. What about Karma? Well, Draco never really DID explain what happened to her, so who knows? Xema certainly doesn't! And what about GOLD eco? (Laughs evilly) We shall see.  
  
By the way, was that ending fluffy enough? I know SOMEONE requested it to end like that? ;)  
  
So, WHY didn't I turn Daxter back into his humanoid form? Lord knows I could have with that potion, and then there were the mysteries of gold eco. But there were two main reasons why.  
  
a) Because I LOVE the little furry guy. Both in his humanoid state, AND his ottsel form. A lot of my friends plus myself agree that he is one cute little geek-burger (err, that's Nga Tawa *my boarding school* slang for dorky), but he's just so lovable in his ottsel form too. He is my current cartoon crush and is also VERY similar to my first cartoon crush (which I developed when I was ten) Gemma knows what I'm talking about, we've discussed it on Disneysites before.  
  
It was hard to decide, but I thought it would prove that Xema loved him to a point where she was willing to change her lifestyle so that they could be together without either of them feeling uncomfortable.  
  
And b) Because I didn't want to mess around with Naughty Dog's plot. There HAD to be a reason they left Daxter as an ottsel, other than the whole 'save-the-world' plot. And that 'secret ending' is just SCREAMING: 'Sequel!'. But, *sighs* until Naughty Dog reveals anything to do with a sequel (believe me I've heard a fair share of rumors spreading around the net), I decided to leave him the way he was. He is Naughty Dog's character after all; I'm just 'borrowing' the little guy for my fics.  
  
Oh, and to answer someone's question that they emailed me with, YES, I DO have a Max Casella obsession. Go watch his movies people! Listen to 'Tip' on The Little Mermaid 2, or 'Zini' on Dinosaur. It's quite funny hearing Daxter's voice come out of different animal's mouths. Or better yet, get out one of his movies. Sgt. Bilko is my fave. You can see little Max in action! He is SUCH a cutey! I'm a sucker for Italian actors (cue in Dominic Armato of the Monkey Island fame)  
  
Well, this note at the end is becoming almost as long as the fic, so I think now is a good time to shut my mouth, and give out my thank u's.  
  
First of all, to the wonderful Jak and Daxter authors other than myself, who have taken the time out from writing their own stories and commented on my own, several times in fact! Sandy87 and Phoe-chan especially. As well as Fumetsu Hono'o and more than that! Go reads the other fics people! They're really worth your time!  
  
Then, there's the people who have done something special for me - and again reviewed constantly. This includes Gemma, Vulpix, Mandy and Leah (again, but you've done so much for me in such a short amount of time *hugs*)  
  
And then there's others who just review constantly and help the fic continue. Big Thankies to Michelle, Unknowner, HPDigiPokefan, Duke and many more. I'm sorry for any names not mentioned, but there's just so many of you, it would be impossible to mention everyone. In any case, you all rock and your support has really helped one shy Kiwi who just wanted to type something for the slowly growing community of Jak and Daxter fics. This fic would not have been possible without everyone's support, and I greatly acknowledge you all for it. Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU!  
  
Thank you.  
  
~ Keysha 


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